Rihanna Demands Puerto Rico Aid From Donald Trump

“Don’t let your people die like this.”

RiRi is on a mission.

Rihanna has taken it upon herself to call out President Donald Trump for his response to the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

On Thursday, she addressed Trump in a tweet sharing the cover of Wednesday's New York Daily News, which ran with the headline "AMERICAN TRAGEDY."

"Dear [Donald Trump] I know you've probably already seen this, but I just wanted to make sure! Don't let your people die like this," the singer wrote.

Later that day, Rihanna called for a "round of applause" for former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, who are raising funds for hurricane relief.

Rihanna has a charitable history; the Barbados-born pop star launched her own nonprofit, the Clara Lionel Foundation, in 2012 to help impoverished people across the globe.

The singer began tweeting at Trump on Tuesday ― almost a week after Maria hit Puerto Rico — with a story from The Shade Room that offered an update on conditions in the hurricane-ravaged U.S. territory.

Her tweet, directed at Trump, included a series of question marks:

On Wednesday, Rihanna also tagged Trump as she retweeted a CBS News video showing San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz.

"I know that leaders aren't supposed to cry ... But we are having a humanitarian crisis here," the mayor can be seen saying in the clip.

Rihanna joins a growing list of celebrities, including Lin-Manuel Miranda and Marc Anthony, who have criticized the president for his response to the crisis in Puerto Rico. Despite residents still lacking basic necessities, the White House has defended its response.

Elaine Duke, acting secretary of Homeland Security, praised the "amazing" federal response to the disaster on Thursday, calling it "a good news story."

But Cruz fired back against Duke's statement on Friday, calling it "irresponsible."

"Damn it, this is not a 'good news' story," Cruz said on CNN while fighting back tears. "This is a 'people are dying' story. This is a 'life or death' story."

Close

What's Hot