San Juan mayor hits back at Trump administration: 'This is not a good news story.'

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz ripped acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke over Duke's suggestion earlier this week that the federal response to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico is a "good news story."

"Maybe from where [Duke] is standing it's a good news story," an emotional Cruz told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on New Day. "When you are drinking from a creek, it's not a good news story. When you don't have food for a baby, it's not a good story. When you have to pull people — I'm sorry, but that really upsets me and frustrates me."

Cruz added: "This is — this is not a good news story. This is a people-are-dying story."

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Many Puerto Ricans have criticized the Trump administration for being too slow to respond to the unfolding crisis. Nine days after Hurricane Maria, 3.4 million people are still without power and drinking water is running dangerously low. Trump has defended his administration's response: "Wish press would treat fairly!" he tweeted Thursday.

But "when you have people out there dying, literally dying, literally scraping for food, where is the good news?" Cruz asked. Watch below. Jeva Lange

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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.