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Official Says White House Will Not Wipe Away Puerto Rico's Debt

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In this Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, file photo, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney departs after a television interview at the White House, in Washington. (Alex Brandon, File/AP)
In this Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, file photo, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney departs after a television interview at the White House, in Washington. (Alex Brandon, File/AP)

As Puerto Rico continues to recover from the damage cause by Hurricanes Maria and Irma, its people and officials are also worrying about the island's other problem: $73 billion of debt.

Last week, President Trump appeared to offer a possible solution, saying "we will have to wipe that out," referring to the debt. But Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, told NBC News on Sunday that the federal government would not "wave a magic wand and wipe out the debt."

Here & Now's Robin Young talks with The Atlantic's Derek Thompson (@DKThomp) about Puerto Rico's debt crisis and the president's comments.

This segment aired on October 9, 2017.

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