Trump offers condolences and assistance to Mexico after devastating earthquake

White House
Sept. 20, 2017, 3:00 p.m. Reporting from New York

Trump offers condolences and assistance to Mexico after devastating earthquake

Brian Bennett

President Trump extended his condolences to Mexico’s president and offered assistance on Wednesday, a day after an earthquake devastated central Mexico, including the capital, Mexico City, and killed more than 200 people.

Trump and President Enrique Peña Nieto had a lengthy telephone call in the morning, according to the White House, after Trump first tweeted his concern the night before -- prompt reactions that contrasted with his tardy response to disaster in Mexico earlier this month.

“The president offered assistance and search-and-rescue teams, which are being deployed now,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement describing the call, and “also pledged to continue close coordination with Mexico as the two countries respond to the recent earthquakes and hurricanes.”

Trump did not extend condolences to Mexico for a week after a deadly earthquake in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas on Sept. 7. Trump blamed poor cellphone reception in the mountains of Mexico for the delay in reaching Peña Nieto.

Yet partly out of pique, by then Mexico had rescinded its offer to help the United States deal with damage in Texas and Louisiana from Hurricane Harvey, and focused instead on earthquake response.

Vice President Mike Pence also spoke of Mexico’s plight, in remarks at the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.

“Our hearts and our prayers are with the people of Puerto Rico and the people of Mexico,” he said, referring to damage from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and Mexico’s earthquake casualties.

On Twitter on Tuesday night, Trump wrote, “God bless the people of Mexico City. We are with you and will be there for you.”