Puerto Rico Paper Towels: Trump's Response to 3,000 Deaths — Trophy Moment
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Trump visited Puerto Rico nine days after a storm that killed nearly 3,000 people and left the island without power for months — the longest blackout in U.S. history. His visit featured a trophy-style photo op where he tossed paper towels to survivors. He told them their death toll compared favorably to 'a real disaster like Katrina.' Months later, as the official death toll was revised upward toward 3,000, Trump claimed the number was fabricated. Puerto Rico remained without power for 11 months in some areas — the longest blackout in U.S. territory history. FEMA's response was widely criticized as inadequate.
Overview
Nearly 3,000 people died. The island lost power for eleven months in some areas. Trump threw paper towels into a crowd and said it wasn't as bad as Katrina.
The paper towels were televised worldwide. The image became immediate shorthand for an administration treating a humanitarian crisis as a photo opportunity.
The Visit
Nine days after a Category 4 hurricane had destroyed Puerto Rico's power grid, Trump arrived to praise the federal response. He stood at a church distributing supplies and threw rolls of paper towels into the crowd like he was shooting free throws.
He told the survivors that their disaster compared favorably to "a real disaster like Katrina" — Katrina killed approximately 1,800 people; Maria would kill nearly 3,000.
He said the federal response was an "incredible, unsung success."
The Death Toll
The Puerto Rico government initially counted 64 deaths. As the scope of the disaster became clearer — including excess mortality from medical equipment failures, lack of clean water, and infrastructure collapse — the number rose. The Puerto Rican government commissioned George Washington University to conduct an independent study.
GWU found 2,975 excess deaths.
Trump said Democrats had fabricated the number.
The Blackout
Puerto Rico remained without power for 11 months in some areas. This is not a record anyone wanted. It is the longest blackout in U.S. territory history. It happened to 3.3 million U.S. citizens on an island that pays federal taxes but has no voting representation in Congress.
Trump subsequently tried to divert FEMA disaster funds to the border wall and blocked congressionally approved disaster relief citing corruption concerns.
Timeline
Sequence of events
September 20, 2017
Hurricane Maria makes landfall in Puerto Rico
Maria strikes Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds, destroying the power grid, communications infrastructure, and causing catastrophic flooding. 3.3 million U.S. citizens are affected.
October 3, 2017
Trump visits Puerto Rico — paper towel throwing
Trump arrives in Puerto Rico nine days after landfall. At a church relief distribution site, he throws paper towels and other supplies into the crowd. He tells survivors that Maria was 'not a real catastrophe like Katrina' and praises his administration's response.
August 28, 2018
GWU study: 2,975 deaths attributable to Maria
George Washington University publishes an independent study commissioned by the Puerto Rico government finding 2,975 excess deaths attributable to Maria and its aftermath from September 2017 through May 2018.
August 29, 2018
Trump denies death toll on Twitter
Trump tweets that the 3,000 death figure was 'made up by Democrats' to make him look bad. He calls it 'fake news.' The Puerto Rican government had commissioned the study from a credentialed university; the death toll had been certified by the island's government.
January 14, 2019
Trump blocks $8 billion in disaster relief
Trump blocks the release of $8 billion in congressionally approved disaster relief funds for Puerto Rico, citing 'corruption' in the island's government. Puerto Rican officials and members of Congress from both parties condemn the decision.
Sources
- ↑ Trump in Puerto Rico Holds 'Incredible' Aid Response as 'Unsung Success' — The New York Times
- ↑ Trump throws paper towels into crowd in Puerto Rico — The Washington Post
- ↑ Trump Denies 3,000 Deaths From Puerto Rico Hurricane Were Real — The New York Times
- ↑ Independent study confirms nearly 3,000 deaths from Hurricane Maria — George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health
Verification