Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, arrived at a San Juan church as part of a larger tour to witness first hand the devastation in Puerto Rico and surrounding US territories following an especially tumultuous hurricane season.
Pence said that the United States already has 14 Navy and Coast Guard ships near the island, and added the U.S. has been making ‘steady progress’ on other challenges facing Puerto Rico.
Pence is touring hurricane damage in Puerto Rico after spending time in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Friday.
Vice President Mike Pence is in the Caribbean to observe the devastation follwoing Hurricane Maria
Pence was in the US Virgin Islands before heading off to Puerto Rico on Friday on a trip to the Caribbean
Pence told congregants that President Donald Trump wants them to know the federal government will stick with them as long as it takes to recover.
The vice president added ‘the hearts of the American people have been breaking’ for those in the islands.
‘We will get through this and we will get through this together for everyone,’ he said.
Vice President Mike Pence, joined by his wife Karen Pence and Virgin Islands Del. Stacey Plaskett
Vice president Mike Pence receives a case of bottled water as he helps load a container of supplies bound for Puerto Rico
Damaged and destroyed homes are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico (Pictured: September 28, 2017)
Earlier Friday, Pence spent about an hour flying over St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John to observe the devastation.
The vice president saw upended boats along the coast, blue tarps topping damaged homes and uprooted trees and vegetation.
Pence commented to the press after the tour that the destruction is ‘overwhelming, but the resilience of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands is even greater.’
During Pence’s visit to St. Croix, Governor of the Virgin Islands, Kenneth E. Mapp, praised the Trump administration’s relief efforts, saying ‘there is no country that responds to disasters like the United States of America.’
Mapp said the island was making progress in its recovery from Hurricane Maria and expected schools to reopen on Tuesday.
Pence was in the U.S. Virgin Islands to get an update on the recovery efforts after the islands were socked by Hurricane Maria.
He’s the first top member of the Trump administration to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The vice president was aiming to reassure people in the U.S. territories that the Trump administration will help the islands recover from the massive storm.