Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rosselló wants President Donald Trump to know that he’s not going to take Trump’s bashing of his citizens and mistreatment of his officials sitting down.
“If the bully gets close, I’ll punch the bully in the mouth,” Rosselló told CNN. “It would be a mistake to confuse courtesy with courage.”
Senior aides to the President, including trade adviser Peter Navarro, reportedly treated Puerto Rican officials very dismissively during a recent White House conversation and told them to stop requesting meetings.
Trump has been complaining about the burden of aide to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria for months, but it’s loomed large enough in the President’s head in recent days that he brought it up at a lunch with Senate Republicans.
“He treats us as second class citizens, that’s for sure. And my consideration is I just want the opportunity to explain to him why the data and information he’s getting is wrong,” Rosseló said. “I don’t think getting into a kicking and screaming match with the President does any good. I don’t think anyone can beat the President in a kicking and screaming match. What I am aiming to do is make sure reason prevails, that empathy prevails, that equality prevails, and that we can have a discussion.”
