Trump addresses criticism over Puerto Rico disaster response: 'It's out in the ocean, you can't just drive your trucks there'

President Donald Trump on Tuesday addressed growing criticism that he has not paid the proper amount of attention to the ongoing crisis in Puerto Rico, saying that it's much more difficult to handle than a situation in Florida or Texas because "it's out in the ocean."

"It's the most difficult job because it's on the island, it's on an island in the middle of the ocean," Trump said at a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. "It's out in the ocean. You can't just drive your trucks there from other states."

Puerto Rico was ravaged by a recent pair of massive hurricanes, which knocked out power on the island and caused widespread destruction. Trump has received substantial criticism for appearing to focus on issues such as NFL players protesting during the national anthem at games rather than on the US response to the Puerto Rican crisis.

Trump touted the US's response, repeatedly saying that Puerto Rico's governor had assured him the government is doing well in its efforts.

"This isn't like Florida where we can go up the spine, this isn't like Texas where we go right down the middle and we distribute," Trump said. "This is a thing called the Atlantic Ocean, this is tough stuff."