The Lincoln Project is using its latest ad to remind Spanish-speaking voters of how President Trump responded when Puerto Rico was devastated by two back-to-back hurricanes in September 2017.
A U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is home to more than 3.5 million American citizens. In Spanish, the ad's narrator says the island is different now, due to the destruction caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which left thousands dead and even more without electricity, food, or clean water.
Trump's response to the humanitarian crisis was "lies and disrespect," the narrator says. "During his short trip to the island, all Trump thought to do was throw paper towels and hand out cans of fish to our people. Real help? No way. And when 10 killer earthquakes in six days rocked Puerto Rico and left 8,000 homeless, Trump stopped billions of dollars in emergency relief to our island."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The ad includes several clips of Trump praising his response, saying he did a "fantastic job," as well as telling the people of Puerto Rico that the natural disasters have "thrown our budget a little out of whack." Some think Trump's actions were caused by "a lack of empathy," the narrator intones. "Others say it's racism. We know it's disrespect, and Puerto Rican voters are saying, 'Hasta la vista, Trump, you will not be back.'" Watch the ad below. Catherine Garcia
-
The end of ‘golden ticket’ asylum rightsThe Explainer Refugees lose automatic right to bring family over and must ‘earn’ indefinite right to remain
-
Grecotel Luxme Dama Dama: Greek luxury with a breezy beach vibeThe Week Recommends Rhodes is reimagined in this refined and relaxed resort
-
Sudoku hard: October 8, 2025The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to ChicagoSpeed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoffSpeed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
