CNN: People in Puerto Rico Are 'Eating Dog Food" pic.twitter.com/l9G50O3zwF — Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) October 3, 2017

With President Donald Trump (finally) en route to visit hurricane stricken U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, CNN’s reporter on the ground, Leyla Santiago described a grim scene on the island.

Out beyond the capital of San Juan, Santiago said things were so dire that a doctor in the town of Toa Baja told her that people were literally “eating dog food.”

“I’ve got to tell you about an exchange I just had, just in the last 10 minutes, I spoke to the mayor of this town, and he was holding back tears, holding back tears, she said. “He is seeing people day-to-day, and he is saying the desperation is getting out of hand. He told me yesterday he had to deal with a gentlemen who was about to commit suicide. I spoke to a doctor who was right next to him who told me one of his patients was now eating dog food, eating dog food. Patients rating dog food in a clinic.”

Also Read: Hillary Clinton Lends Support to San Juan, While Trump Is Still Tweeting About Mayor's 'Complaints'

The camera panned back to CNN hosts Poppy Harlow John Berman — both of whom looked visibly disturbed at the news.

Though FEMA has stepped up its support of the island, President Trump has come in for very public rebuke for what critics say has been a lackluster response to the devastation from Hurricane Maria. While he promised support for mainland U.S. victims of hurricane Harvey and Irma, Trump scolded Puerto Ricans in a tweet for “poor leadership” and wanting “everything to be done for them.” And on Tuesday, Trump said that “on a local level, they have to give us more help.”

He has also engaged in a very public feud with the mayor of San Juan — Carmen Yulín Cruz.

…Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help. They…. – Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017





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…want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job. – Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017





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