On Tuesday, September 26, President Trump announced that he will visit the hurricane-devastated island of Puerto Rico on October 3. The visit comes at a time when the U.S. territory is desperately pleading for more help in dealing with the aftermath.

Trump said that next week would be the earliest he could get to the island without interfering with the relief efforts following Hurricane Maria.

“We have shipped massive amounts of food and water and supplies to Puerto Rico and we are continuing to do so on an hourly basis,” the president said. “But that island was hit as hard as you can be hit.”

Despite the massive shipments of food, the governor of Puerto Rico has called on Washington to provide more help in recovering from the storm. Residents of Puerto Rico reportedly feel forgotten by the United States government and are living in dire conditions.

“Puerto Rico is very important to me and the people are fantastic people. I grew up in New York, so I know many people from Puerto Rico,” Trump said.

Last Wednesday, Hurricane Maria made landfall with winds of more than 155 mph. As of right now, a majority of the island remains without running water, cell service, power, and gasoline.

Featured Image: twitter