SAN JUAN: President Donald Trump says he's "the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico" and he's renewing his attacks on the U.S. territory's officials on a day when tens of thousands are marching on the island to demand the resignation of Governor Ricardo Roselló.
Trump didn't respond directly Monday when asked if Rosselló should step down, but described him as "a terrible governor."
He aimed most of his fire at San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, who has frequently derided him and complained about the federal response to 2017's Hurricane Maria. Trump described her as "a horror show" and "grossly incompetent."
Trump said Congress has given Puerto Rico billions to recover from the hurricane and complained it's "in the hands of incompetent people and very corrupt people."
The president called himself "the best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico" and added, "We did a great job in Puerto Rico. They don't like to give me the credit for it, but we did a great job. I have many Puerto Rican friends. I have a real understanding of Puerto Rico."
Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans have filled a central highway Monday to demand the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló in what appeared to be the biggest protest on the island in nearly two decades.
The demonstration come 10 days after the leak of 889 pages of obscenity-laced online chats between Rosselló and some of his close advisers. In the conversations, they insulted women and mocked constituents, including victims of Hurricane Maria.