Donald Trump just can't help himself.

In a week when possibly the biggest storm in a generation was set to hit the east coast — "it's a big one, maybe as big as they've seen," Mr Trump said — he generated his own.

"I think that Puerto Rico was an incredible, unsung success," he said, in reference to the handling of last September's devastating Hurricane Maria.

He then doubled down with this:

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The response was, according to the US President, "one of the best jobs that's ever been done" and "incredibly successful" and (of course) "tremendous".

Right. Or not.

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Here's an NPR fact check on this subject.

Donald Trump and San Juan's mayor face off

Note that the death toll from Maria was recently revised upwards from 64 to 2,975. For some people electricity has been off for about a year.

Sorry, this video has expired Drone footage shows damage to buildings in San Juan, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria

With this week marking the one-year anniversary of the hurricane, the extent of the damage is still in question. A team of researchers has estimated the death toll is more like 4,645.

The President, again, couldn't leave off:

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No doubt the Democrats are making hay, but that doesn't mean the numbers (cross checked by several research teams) are wrong.

The President also (again) lashed out at San Juan's mayor, calling her incompetent.

Carmen Yulin Cruz didn't hold back.

"You know, President Trump does not get it. He will never get it. And unfortunately, people died because of that," she said.

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And then:

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There's also this:

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And this:

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Now Puerto Rico's Government is pointing the finger at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for not distributing the water. FEMA is investigating. Whatever the outcome, a whole lot of water went to waste.

There's another hurricane on the way

OK, so speaking of hurricanes …

The ever-fluctuating Hurricane Florence, which has seen the US east coast partially evacuated, is still keeping everyone guessing.

The hurricane threatens massive storm surges and catastrophic rainfall but is also dithering, so gaining and losing power dependent on water temperature and prevailing winds.

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There's one thing that you can say about the east coast — they sure know how to prep for storms.

Walking the streets down near the beach in Wilmington, North Carolina, this week just about everyone had boarded up their doors and windows and joined the queue on the freeway.

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The hurricane's strength and track remain very volatile, so the eventual damage is difficult to predict.

At worst — a six-metre storm surge and 114 centimetres of rain.

A camera on the International Space Station has captured images of Hurricane Florence. ( ESA/NASA–A. Gerst )

Better safe than sorry right?

"Plan to be without power for days. Understand that the rain may last for days and not hours. And this may be a marathon, not a sprint," North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said.

Mr Trump made a public service announcement today urging the millions of Americans that are affected to get out, while praising FEMA.

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"We've got the finest people I think anywhere in the world," he said.

"FEMA and first responders are out there, they're going to stand through the danger of this storm.

"Get out of its way, don't play games with it. It's a big one, may be as big as they've seen."

We're in Wilmington, North Carolina, where it's getting very windy and rainy.

Woodward's book hit the shelves

Speaking of scary things …

The cover of Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward. ( Simon & Schuster via AP )

Bob Woodward published 420 pages on Mr Trump this week.

His new work, Fear, is the fastest-selling book of the last three years. It's the latest page-turner in a recent string of works detailing all the drama that goes on behind the scenes in the White House.

And that's a LOT.

The regular cast of characters makes an appearance.

Chief of staff John Kelly: "We're in Crazytown. I don't know why any of us are here."

Defence secretary Jim Mattis: "We're doing this to prevent World War III."

Our most recent ex-PM gets a mention. But generally:

"I've never seen an instance when the President is so detached from the reality of what's going on," Woodward says.

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What Woodward says matters. As the author of 18 books and countless investigative pieces, he's a high authority in Washington and beyond.

Still, that didn't stop Mr Trump responding:

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Woodward's book won't be the last Trump tell-all.

Save a space on your bookshelf for porn star Stormy Daniels' Full Disclosure, due out in three weeks.

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She promises to share every detail about her now infamous 2006 sexual encounter with Mr Trump.

*Blinks*

You bet I will be the first in line at the bookstore to buy that. Not.

Then there was the Mark Knight cartoon controversy

As you may be aware, Australia was in the news here this week because of THAT Mark Knight cartoon.

Here's the play by play:

1. Ramos ruled that Williams was receiving illegal coaching from her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. Williams shot back at the umpire and insisted she was not receiving coaching and that she would "rather lose" than cheat 2. Williams broke her racket in frustration. Ramos issued another violation 3. Williams called the umpire a "thief". He gave her a another violation. The internet exploded with opinions, and Mark Knight drew that cartoon

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"I've seen other men call other umpires several things. I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality and for all kinds of stuff," Williams said.

"For me to say 'thief,' and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He's never taken a game from a man because they said 'thief'."

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What to watch next

One indulgence this week if I may:

Take a look at this story we made for Foreign Correspondent on billionaires Jack and Laura Dangermond and their gift to humanity and the environment.

Special place, special people.

And now, I'll get back to that hurricane.