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Pushing Tax Cuts for Wealthy Amid Disaster, Trump Rebuked for Exploiting Storm Victims

A sign is posted outside a home following Hurricane Irma on September 12, 2017 in Key Largo in the Florida Keys. (Photo: Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Pushing Tax Cuts for Wealthy Amid Disaster, Trump Rebuked for Exploiting Storm Victims

"After all," says one critic sarcastically, "nothing helps low- and middle-income people who have lost everything like a series of tax cuts mainly benefiting the rich."

Ahead of his planned trip to Florida on Thursday to visit areas ravaged by Hurricane Irma, President Donald Trump was fiercely rebuked Wednesday morning for once again exploiting the storm's extensive damage to demand tax cuts for the nation's corporations and wealthiest individuals.

Critics swiftly responded on Twitter, with many pointing out how the recent series of natural disasters demonstrates an urgent need for climate action, not giveaways for the nation's most privileged.

Some also noted that Trump's tax plan would negatively impact those who have been among the hardest hit by the wildfires and storms.

This is the second time in the past week Trump has come under fire for using the recent hurricanes to call for "tax cuts." At a cabinet meeting on Saturday, as the storm was barreling toward Florida, Trump said, "with what's happened with the hurricane, I'm gonna ask for a speed-up" to pushing through his tax plan, a move that journalist and author Naomi Klein called "one for the shock doctrine record books."

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