MEDIA/PUERTO RICO/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Only a few paragraphs of Omarosa Manigault Newman’s book are about Puerto Rico. But their claims are significant: that President Donald Trump lacked empathy in Hurricane Maria’s aftermath and that the President and Chief of Staff John Kelly referred to Puerto Ricans in derogatory terms. The result, the new book titled ‘Unhinged’ alleges, was a slow and cavalier response to the devastation wrought, especially when compared to Trump’s swift and effective handling of the hurricanes in Texas and Florida weeks earlier. Manigault Newman, a former senior White House adviser, wouldn’t specify what offensive terms the Trump administration allegedly used when referring to Puerto Ricans, even when pressed to do so during one of her many interviews to promote her book. CNN has not independently verified her claims, and the White House did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment.”
–Maria Santana, “A closer look at Omarosa’s excerpt on Puerto Rico — from a reporter who was there,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, August 17, 2018 10:24 pm