MAN OF HIS WORD?

Trump: Puerto Rico’s Debt Will Have to Be ‘Wiped Out’

Wall Street will have to “say goodbye” to island’s $70 billion in debt, president says.

President Trump on Tuesday said Puerto Rico’s debt would need to be “wiped out” in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Trump, who had criticized the “poor leadership ability” of Puerto Rican authorities ahead of his visit to the island Tuesday, made the comments in an interview with Fox News. “They owe a lot of money to your friends on Wall Street and we’re going to have to wipe that out. You’re going to say goodbye to that, I don’t know if it’s Goldman Sachs, but whoever it is, you can wave goodbye to that,” he said. He offered no further details and provided no time frame for the debt relief. Prior to arriving on the island Tuesday for his first visit there since the storm struck two weeks ago, Trump said the island’s approximately $70 billion in debt “must be dealt with.”