Transcript for President Trump disputes Puerto Rico hurricane death toll

We'll see you tomorrow night this time Mean, predent trump sending outalets today, reass the government completely ready for this hurrrkfirestorm with anoeet, oume citizens died in Puerto ri rricane MARIA and its him look bad. O chief whirrespondent Jonathan Karl gh order: Evebefore E florenceits shore, president trump is Ady Ng his team on a J weone. We are geg tremendous colades from politicians the people. Reporter: But even as hurrice approaches, the president today is making a artling ne claim, the human sufringsed by la's hurricane MARIA in Puerto Rico. "3,000 people did not in two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico," he tweeted. He tfacused demos of inflang the death toll -- "In order to M look as bad as possible a corehensive udom orge Washington university read to the hurricane and its aftermath --figure acceed by theovernment as T official Dea th's nearly 3,000 American citizens, mof and derly.team saw T suffe first-hand. Maritior seniors in rsing home wit power.ie. We can't let them die. And we need help. All the help we can get, please. Reporter: When preside trum vhe nd, he tossed paper towels to storm victims. St 15 minuteay, in thisrtment buiing without Powe clean water, David spokwith 70-ye-old MARIA Diaz. E don't want to die here,"he told him. The puertrico this taking issuet's tweets "The people of puertrico," he said, "D deserve toe theiinquestioned." And amongleads, the president seems to be alone quoning the ath toll. No rean to dis these numbers. With 3,000 ppl ad, for the president touerto Rico was sesz a triumph of H pr, simply sional. Jonar us live tightfrom the white and Jon, late today, the president's team sending out this image, thepresiden of course, monitoring the storm the oval. But Jon, thee so many people who a today, wot concentrate simply on the ane at ha why bring up all of American cizens who died in po Rico durin maria?ter: It's great tion, Davi unclear what the answer is, but the pdent wasui active

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