President Donald Trump arrived in Puerto Rico on Tuesday to see firsthand what he’s been tweeting about from afar for days as the island and its people have begun a massive recovery effort after Hurricane Maria.

Days after San Juan Mayor Yulín Cruz said, “Mr. Trump, I am begging you to take charge and save lives” and accused a vague “you” of “killing us with the inefficiency,” the president met with military and government officials at Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, for an update on the relief efforts.

RELATED: Puerto Rican mayor: 'We are dying, you are killing us with the inefficiency'

Trump had this exchange with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Roselló.

Trump: “Every death is a horror, but if you look at a real catastrophe, like Katrina, and you look at the tremendous, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here with really a storm that was just totally overpowering, nobody's sever seen anything like this. And what's your death count as of this moment? 17?

Gov. Ricardo: 16

Trump: “ … 16 people versus in the thousands. You can be very proud.”

On Sunday, in one example of the criticism the president has faced for his comments to date, Gen. Marty Dempsey, who served under President Barack Obama as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2011 to 2015, tweeted that “great leaders are motivated by results not reviews, accomplishments not accolades, humility not hubris.”

But Trump took the moment on Tuesday to tout his administration’s work.

"I've never seen people working so hard in my life,” Trump said of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other first responders.

You can read the White House’s transcript of his comments in Puerto Rico here.

https://twitter.com/Scavino45/status/915251991185645571

He asked Jenniffer González-Colón, who represents Puerto Rico in Congress, to give her own assessment at the National Guard base.

“We got the federal government by our side, doing the job of the people here, like you in the military, doing all that has been asked,” she said. “All the questions and requests that the governor did, the president and his Cabinet accomplished it and send more people, and has continued to send in more people — trucks, drivers, and resources.”

On Saturday, over the span of 11 hours, Trump tweeted 18 times about Puerto Rico, defending his administration’s work and coordination with Puerto Rico and accusing news outlets and Cruz of misprepresenting the government response.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/914227642131509248

The island has made some progress since the Category 4 storm made land fall on Sept. 20, but struggled substantially in other areas. As of Tuesday, 74 percent of Puerto Rico’s gas stations were back up and running, 65 percent of its supermarkets were back in action and telecommunication service had been re-established for 40 percent of the island.

But cell phone service was still spotty and more than 9,000 people are being considered refugees by Puerto Rico’s local government. Flights to and from the island are also limited.

Gov. Ricardo says he fears millions of Puerto Ricans will be leaving the island for the U.S. mainland for good if sufficient aid doesn’t arrive soon.

“You’re going to get millions, creating a devastating demographic shift for us here in Puerto Rico, a brain drain,” he said on Tuesday.

Trump said that the needed response funding has “thrown our budget a little out of whack” but that it’s “fine.”

https://twitter.com/axios/status/915249113616314368

Trump was immediately criticized by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, for his comment about the budget.

“Mr. President, enough. Stop blaming Puerto Rico for the storm that devastated their shore and roll up your sleeves and get the recovery on track. That’s your job as president.”

https://twitter.com/ABCPolitics/status/915284099836682240

Reporters on the ground noted that Cruz was in attendance, but was not acknowledged by Trump in his speech. He did shake her hand though.

https://twitter.com/Acosta/status/915246486132203520

Later, the president toured the island and meet with locals.

"Your governor and your mayor have done really a fantastic job," Trump said, according to Axios. "We're going to help you out. Have a good time."

He was also seen handing out, and throwing, supplies to people.

https://twitter.com/ElNuevoDia/status/915277509326974977

Check back for updates on more of what Trump’s visit to Puerto Rico looked and sounded like.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin