washington well-received responses two major hurricanes hit u.s. mainland president donald trump battle show americans handle yet another natural disaster time puerto rico despite catch another twitter war catch guard severity hurricane maria damage u.s. island territory trump focus storm days instead launch barrage tweet view national football league players require stand u.s. national anthem trump insist reporters tuesday preoccupy nfl controversy could multi-task say would visit puerto rico tuesday plenty time hand work say territory 3.4 million people struggle get food water power shelter democratic leaders congress puerto rico residents u.s. citizens accuse trump administration sluggish response disasters u.s. mainland previous republican president george w. bush face widespread criticism administration initial handle hurricane katrina kill 1,800 people around new orleans 2005. tuesday trump tweet two dozen time nfl controversy begin tweet puerto rico start draw criticism tweet monday night say puerto rico deep trouble note massive debt crisis trump certainly seem top situation hurricane harvey houston hurricane irma florida puerto rico distraction maybe perception top situation say presidential historian thomas alan schwartz trump finally start talk puerto rico give mix signal say one hand puerto rico trouble laud administration response question victory lap president take already say lars anderson senior federal emergency management agency official democratic president barack obama administration run crisis communications firm call bluedot strategies trump opportunity next week visit puerto rico use presidential bully pulpit draw attention need resources anderson say glad see white house actually acknowledge situation say white house step efforts show trump charge crisis organize meet major cabinet officials go federal response puerto rico official photo meet situation room show trump head long table get brief crisis end act homeland security secretary elaine duke brock long head fema brief reporters federal response response date phenomenal duke say tuesday night puerto rico governor ricardo rossello say satisfy administration relief efforts call trump performance excellent u.s. officials stress federal disaster system kick gear days ago provide food water roll sheet roof u.s. military increase flight bear emergency aid 10 per hour official say trump supporters say people may expect much federal response island territory whose electrical grid infrastructure already poor shape maria come blow way prepare rebuild island million people three months beyond anybody capability say barry bennett former trump campaign adviser trump use twitter fan controversy one area control-minded white house chief staff john kelly unable tamp privately aid say likely much kelly could nobody get twitter say one administration official trump scramble convince americans handle puerto rico crisis