Live stream: President Trump surveys damage left behind by Hurricane Florence: President Donald T...

With his disaster response operation under scrutiny, President Donald Trump heads to the Carolinas on Wednesday to survey flood damage wrought by Hurricane Florence. "I think it will be an incredible day," Trump told reporters as he exited the White House en route to stops in both North and South Carolina. The visit comes less than a week after Trump infuriated officials in Puerto Rico and drew criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers for questioning a study that said nearly 3,000 people died on the island in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The study was commissioned by Puerto Rico's government, which has accepted the finding as its official death toll. San Juan's mayor called Trump's claim "delusional" and even Republican leaders such as House Speaker Paul Ryan distanced themselves from Trump's tweets about Puerto Rico. On Wednesday, the president is scheduled to depart the White House en route to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina. The East Coast of the Tar Heel took the heaviest hit from Florence, and thousands of homes and roads are under water. "This is a tough hurricane – one of the wettest we’ve ever seen, from the standpoint of water," Trump said in a video tweeted out Wednesday. The storm is responsible for at least 37 deaths in the Carolinas and Virginia, officials say. Local officials say the president is also expected to visit flooded areas near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Trump has praised the response to Hurricane Florence – but also predicted it will be second guessed by Democrats "at some point in the near future." "Right now, everybody is saying what a great job we are doing with Hurricane Florence – and they are 100% correct," Trump said Tuesday on Twitter. https://usat.ly/2NqTioo **************** Humankind: Amazing moments that give us hope ➤ http://bit.ly/2MrPxvd Humankind: Stories worth sharing ➤ http://bit.ly/2FWYXNP Animalkind: Cute, cuddly & curious animals ➤ http://bit.ly/2GdNf2j Just the FAQs: When news breaks, we break it down for you ➤ http://bit.ly/2Dw3Wnh The Wall: An in-depth examination of Donald Trump’s border wall ➤ http://bit.ly/2sksl8F