In a blatant action of political pandering to Florida voters, the Trump Administration has announced a new $11.6 billion aid package to help Puerto Rico recover from hurricanes that hit the island in 2017, Roll Call reports.

The money nearly doubles the amount provided to the commonwealth in the previous three years since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the island.  Trump had previously ignored the US territory, even reportedly trying to sell it to pay off debts.

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Trump traveled to Puerto Rico where he tossed paper towels to victims of the disaster and bragged how minimal the damage was to the island, saying only 16 people died because of the storm.

More than 3,000 people died on Puerto Rico alone because of Hurricane Maria.

The Trump Administration’s response to the hurricane also exacerbated the damage.  A two-person company from North Dakota was given a multi-million dollar contract to restore the power grid, which it did not have the capability of doing.  Tarps ordered to help cover blown-away roofs were never delivered or were substandard.  And truckloads of perishable aid sat on docks because truck drivers were unavailable or roads hadn’t been clears.

The new aid package is seen as a way for Trump to appeal to the Puerto Rican and Latino voters in the key swing state of Florida, although given that it’s being promised three years after the event, its impact on the electorate is questionable.