Rep. Gerry Connolly Gerald (Gerry) Edward ConnollyJudge issues nationwide injunction against Postal Service changes House panel advances bill to ban Postal Service leaders from holding political positions Shakespeare Theatre Company goes virtual for 'Will on the Hill...or Won't They?' MORE (D-Va.) ripped President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE’s comments that the federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, which killed nearly 3,000 people, was an “unsung success.”

"If he thinks that's an unparalleled success, God only knows what he would think a failure would be," Connolly said on CNN's "The Situation Room” Tuesday.

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Connolly added that the president's description of the federal response to Maria was a "monstrous fiction that costs lives."

The comments come as federal agencies are preparing for Hurricane Florence, a Category 4 storm that is set to make landfall near the North Carolina-South Carolina border later this week. Connolly’s home state of Virginia is also in the storm’s path. Trump has declared states of emergency for all three states.

San Juan mayor and frequent Trump critic Carmen Yulín Cruz also slammed the president’s comments, tweeting Tuesday, “Trump simply does not get it. Thus his neglect towards Puerto Rico cost about 3,000 lives. Unfortunately, it seems he will never get it.”

“Success? Federal response according to Trump in Puerto Rico a success? If he thinks the death of 3,000 people [is] a success God help us all,” she added.

Trump doubled down on his comments Wednesday morning and hit back at Cruz, tweeting, “We got A Pluses for our recent hurricane work in Texas and Florida (and did an unappreciated great job in Puerto Rico, even though an inaccessible island with very poor electricity and a totally incompetent Mayor of San Juan). We are ready for the big one that is coming!”