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While Puerto Rico worked to recover from the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017, a prominent official from the Trump administration, Russell Vought, used his authority to hinder the disbursement of billions of dollars in disaster relief to the territory. In the face of widespread power failures and a large number of residents forced to evacuate, Vought, at that time the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), placed additional barriers that postponed the release of $16.5 billion in aid.
Now, Vought is poised to assume the role of OMB director, subject to Senate approval. In this capacity, he would wield considerable influence over federal spending during the Trump administration, which has historically leveraged disaster aid for political purposes, as reported by Politico.
This news has sparked alarm among Puerto Rican advocates and activists, who fear that Vought’s reinstatement could lead to even greater delays in the recovery initiatives for the island. Erica González Martínez, director of Power 4 Puerto Rico, described the situation as a “worst-case scenario,” while Charlotte Gossett Navarro, chief director for Puerto Rico at the Hispanic Federation, voiced apprehensions that the Trump administration’s unfavorable perspective on Puerto Rico might result in further challenges.
Vought has previously signaled his support for increasing presidential powers to override Congress and federal agencies, raising concerns that he might leverage his position at the OMB to obstruct disaster relief in the future. A federal investigation and a former Trump White House official have substantiated Vought’s involvement in the delays of assistance to Puerto Rico, highlighting his fears regarding corruption and financial mismanagement on the island. From 2018 to 2020, Vought obstructed the disbursement of $16.5 billion in disaster funding to Puerto Rico by imposing additional requirements, according to these sources.
These barriers resulted in a delay of $8.3 billion in aid by 4½ months and a distinct allocation of $8.2 billion being postponed by six months.
The delays in assistance have greatly affected Puerto Rico’s recovery processes, and there are fears that additional setbacks could impede the island’s capacity to rebuild and withstand future disasters.
