A year after Hurricane Maria decimated the United States territory of Puerto Rico, rendering the island of Vieques practically uninhabitable, one reality TV star is speaking out about the claims President Trump made about the devastation caused by the storm.
Maria didn’t stop Bethenny Frankel from rolling up her sleeves and jumping in with both Manolo’s to marshal the volunteer troops and get aid to the people who were suffering.
The issue
As President Donald Trump crows in the media over his efforts to help Puerto Rico and what a success it was, she is livid and speaking out about what really went down and how the POTUS might want to thank her for her proactive help.
In an exclusive interview with Glamour, the reality TV star turned Skinny Girl mogul put the president on blast.
In the interview, she leveled the boom directly at President Trump, saying, “If you think that everybody else is cleaning up the mess, the mess isn’t getting cleaned up.”
About Trump’s silence on her Herculean efforts, Frankel added, “I did think it was interesting that Trump never said anything.”
What did Frankel do for Puerto Rico?
Less than two weeks after the storm made landfall, Frankel was on a jet to Puerto Rico.
She told Glamour, “There are leaders and there are followers. There are doers and there are talkers…I’m a doer, and I’m a leader.”
Frankel says she planned her entire first mission for Puerto Rico in less than a day. According to Glamour, Frankel raised over a $1 million in funds and supplies for Puerto Rico. She also chartered 54 private planes to get the supplies directly to the people.
She also traveled to the decimated towns herself and gave thousands of dollars in cash cards to the victims of Hurricane Maria.
In the interview, she said, “It’s said to be the largest private relief effort in the United States in that period of time.”
What does she expect from Trump?
Frankel expects a big pat on the back for being proactive.
Since Trump’s gratitude is non-existent, Frankel told Glamour she could script a response for him. “There may have been some balls dropped because there’s so much going on in the world, so thanks for doing your part as a citizen.”
What is the best thing to give storm victims?
Frankel says it is cash cards instead of clothing or food.
She said, “Sorry, I know people want to donate clothes. Clothes are a nightmare to sort. It’s just not what people need or want.”