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Trump looked into selling off Puerto Rico: Ex-DHS chief

The president reportedly asked "can we sell the island?"

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Donald Trump and Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico (Getty/Mandel Ngan)
Donald Trump and Melania Trump visit residents affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico (Getty/Mandel Ngan)

This article originally appeared on Raw Story

President Donald Trump’s former acting Secretary of Homeland Security says the leader of the free world considered selling Puerto Rico.

Elaine Duke, who describes herself as a lifelong Republican, spoke with The New York Times in a “wide-ranging interview” about her 14 months working for Trump.

“Among her most searing moments during the response to the hurricanes came when she heard Mr. Trump raise the possibility of ‘divesting’ or ‘selling’ Puerto Rico as the island struggled to recover,” the newspaper reported.

“Can we outsource the electricity? Can we can we sell the island? You know, or divest of that asset?” Trump reportedly asked.

Puerto Rico is an American territory, the island’s three million people are American citizens. The territory’s government estimates that 2,975 Americans were killed by the hurricane.

Duke also said she was not ready to support Trump’s re-election.

“That’s a really hard question,” she said. “But given the choices, I don’t know yet.”

Read the full report.

By Bob Brigham

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