Trump Warns Puerto Rico Statehood Wouldโข Be “Highly Destructive,” Citing Financial Woes
WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump asserted Tuesday that granting statehood to puerto Rico would be โค”highly destructive” to the United States,โ pointing to theโข islandS existing debt and economic challenges. The remarks, made during a radio interview withโฃ Breitbart News, โขreignited debate over Puerto Rico’s political status and potential path to โฃstatehood following a non-binding referendum in 2020 were a majority of voters favored it.
the commentsโ come as Puerto Rico โgrapples with a $70 โbillion debt crisis, ongoing recovery from devastating hurricanes, and persistent economic hardship.Trump argued โthat admitting Puerto Rico as a state would saddle the U.S. with further โfinancial burdens. “Puerto Rico is a โdisaster,” he said. “They โฃhave massive debt.It would be highlyโ destructiveโค toโข our โคcountry.” He further claimedโ the island’s financialโค issues would โข”promptly” โbecome the โขresponsibility โฃof U.S. taxpayers.
Puerto Rico heldโ a series of referendumsโฃ on its political status, with the most recent in November โ2020 yielding a 52.5% vote in โfavor โขof statehood. However,turnout was relatively low at 55%. The results โฃare non-binding,and ultimately,Congress holds โtheโ authority to decide โwhether to admit Puerto Rico as a state.โค
The debateโ over statehood is complex, encompassing economic, political, and cultural considerations. Supporters of statehood argue it would grant โฃPuerto Ricans full U.S. citizenship rights, โincluding voting portrayal in Congress and equal access to federal funding. Opponents, including some who favorโ maintaining the island’sโค current commonwealth status, raise concerns about โthe potential economic impact on bothโค Puerto โคRico and โขtheโ United states.
The Biden โgovernance has indicated support โขfor allowing Puerto Ricans to determine their own future, but has not explicitly endorsed statehood. The issue is highlyโค likely to remain a contentious one in Washington, notably as Puerto Rico continues to navigate its financial and recovery challenges.
