@Stonekettle This administration relies POC to be needy, with their hands out. Keeping Puerto Rico abject and desperate bolsters the idea that they are a drain on our resources - that they are the problem.
If we were to help Puerto Rico to become functional and prosperous, Trump's base would wonder, "Why them and not us?" (Because it's always "them" vs. "us" with some people.) So making Puerto Rico a model would completely undermine the administration's image of making [white] America great.