Trump Says He’s Never Heard of a Category 5 Hurricane Before; Dorian Is the Fourth of His Presidency

President Trump commented on Sunday that he’s “not sure” he has ever even heard of a Category 5 hurricane before, despite the fact that three other Category 5 hurricanes have hit the United States and its territories just since he took office in 2017.

Trump made the comments during a meeting with FEMA administrators to discuss their preparations for Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm that swept through the Bahamas on Saturday and now is taking dead aim at the East Coast of the United States:

“We don’t even know what’s coming at us. We know it’s possibly the biggest. I’m not sure I’ve heard of a Category 5. I knew it existed and I’ve seen some Category 4s. You don’t even see them that much, but a Category 5 is something I don’t know I’ve heard the term other than I know it’s there.”

Perhaps the president has the memory of a concussed goldfish, because Dorian is the fourth Category 5 hurricane of his presidency.

Hurricane Irma, which struck two years ago this week, had weakened to a Category 3 by the time it hit the Florida Keys. But it was a Category 5 when it swept through several United States territories before Florida, most notably the Virgin Islands.

A week later, Hurricane Maria devastated the island of Puerto Rico, which saw thousands of residents die in its aftermath. The island still has not recovered. Surely Trump remembers that one, since he just this week was once again refusing to take any responsibility for the federal government’s poor response to Maria.

The Gulf Coast was struck by yet another Category 5 hurricane in 2018. Hurricane Michael was blamed for 59 deaths in the United States and caused billions of dollars in damages, particularly to Tyndall Air Force Base, where fighter jets were destroyed as they sat out on the tarmac.

For Trump, this statement is probably a function of both his ego and a poor memory. The president likes to label every event of his presidency as the biggest or best or worst ever. It is a way of trying to convince people that he is a unique figure being tested more than any of the presidents who have come before him. And coming through with flying colors, of course. WINNING!

Watch the video above, via MSNBC.