House Speaker Paul Ryan said President Trump has "tremendous compassion" when tackling the crises that recently hit the U.S.

"I talk to him about these things," the Wisconsin Republican said during an interview that aired Saturday morning. "He has tremendous compassion. He is flying to these emergencies as soon as he can without jeopardizing responses. And I think the fact that he's going and stopping what he's doing and focusing on these things – We talk about the supplementals we talk about these issues; it shows that the people who are suffering from these tragedies are on his mind from the center."

Ryan was responding to a question from Hugh Hewitt on MSNBC, who wanted to know how Ryan felt Trump was dealing with the mass shooting in Las Vegas and Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma.

Trump largely received plaudits from the media and from lawmakers for his trip to Las Vegas and for his handling of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which battered Texas and Florida. However, critics blasted the president for what they said was a slower response in Puerto Rico, and the mayor of the capital, San Juan, has been outspoken against Trump, who has largely fought back in press interviews and on social media.

Trump visited the places affected by these crises, but his trip to Puerto Rico received the sharpest criticisms after he noted that fewer lives were lost after Hurricane Maria than after Hurricane Katrina. He also threw paper towels into the crowd and told people they would no longer need flashlights, even as most of the island continued to be without power.