President Trump patted himself on the back Sunday for his response to Hurricane Maria and the devastation in Puerto Rico.
“Nobody could have done what I’ve done for #PuertoRico with so little appreciation,” Trump tweeted. “So much work!”
The comments came just hours after the president blasted the “fake” news media for criticizing his administration’s relief efforts in the US territory, which was ravaged by Maria last month.
Trump also defended his controversial paper towel throwing, insisting that he’s done a “great job” helping Puerto Rico and was just having fun.
“Look, the media is fake. Meantime I’m here, it’s sort of amazing. I’m here and I sort of ask myself: ‘How did I ever get here with the horrible, unfair publicity,’” Trump told Mike Huckabee in an interview Sunday.
The tweet the president sent out later in the evening, praising his response, was accompanied by a nearly nine-minute video — showing ongoing relief efforts in various parts of Puerto Rico.
“What the fake news media will not show you,” a graphic says at the start of the clip.
The footage goes on to describe how “more than 11,0000 DoD personnel are now in Puerto Rico providing aid” — while cutting in shots of local residents thanking FEMA and the Red Cross for the response.
It concludes with a slow-motion montage, showing Trump on the island helping out. He can be seen shaking hands, smiling for photos and conducting interviews before eventually sitting down with Puerto Rican and US officials.
Both the tweet and the video were met with outrage Sunday night.
“People are dying. It’s not about you. Jesus Christ,” wrote one Twitter user.
“What did you actually do?” another asked.
Writer Ed Krassenstein added, “It was FEMA who did everything and you want to cut FEMA.”