Donald Trump says gov’t did ‘fantastic job in Puerto Rico’ despite deaths of 3,000 people after Hurricane Maria

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump says he thinks the federal government did a “fantastic job in Puerto Rico” despite the deaths of nearly 3,000 people after Hurricane Maria.

Trump tells reporters at the White House Wednesday that, “We’ve put a lot of money and a lot of effort into Puerto Rico.”

READ MORE: Death toll from Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria raised from 64 to almost 3,000

He says he thinks “most of the people of Puerto Rico really appreciate what we’ve done.”

WATCH: Still no confirmed death toll from Hurricane Maria as number jumps from 64 to nearly 3,000 in Puerto Rico

1:33 Still no confirmed death toll from Hurricane Maria as number jumps from 64 to nearly 3,000 in Puerto Rico

The U.S. territory’s governor this week raised the official death toll from Hurricane Maria from 64 to 2,975 – almost twice the government’s previous estimate.

WATCH: Puerto Rico concedes Hurricane Maria killed over 1,400 people despite official death toll pegged at 14

1:44 Puerto Rico concedes Hurricane Maria killed over 1,400 people despite official death toll pegged at 14

Trump is pointing to the island’s pre-existing financial and infrastructure challenges, but is falsely claiming its electric plant “was dead” and “shut” before Maria hit.

READ MORE: Power restored to all of Puerto Rico for first time in 11 months

Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority is more than $9 billion in debt, but was operating.