Trump reportedly will visit the U.S. Virgin Islands as residents of the devastated territory beg for help

An aerial view of St. Thomas after Hurricane Irma.
(Image credit: Youtube/Associated Press)

President Trump will travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands within the next week "to see firsthand the damages of the territory" after Hurricane Irma, Gov. Kenneth Mapp (I) said Monday.

The U.S. Virgin Islands took a heavy hit by the superstorm, which was a Category 5 when it swept through the Caribbean. The aftermath has left the territory "like a war zone," residents told BuzzFeed News, with congressional representative Stacey Plaskett informing MSNBC that "we've lost about 70 percent of our infrastructure and utility system on St. Thomas and all our utility system on the island of St. John."

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.