On Wednesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo basically said that Donald Trump should fear for his safety if he returns to New York City. The comments come in response to a story that the President wants to pull federal funds from “lawless” cities, including New York.
Cuomo said during an emergency press briefing,“He better have an army if he thinks he’s gonna walk down the street in New York. New Yorkers don’t want to have anything to do with him.”
Waiting for the Trump response tweet https://t.co/sPhKTS3xLB
— Kassy Dillon (@KassyDillon) September 3, 2020
Is Cuomo Threatening Trump?
Cuomo continued, even repeating himself in his rant, “He can’t have enough bodyguards to walk through New York City, people don’t want to have anything to do with him.”
The governor questioned the legality of Trump’s five-page memo ordering a review of federal funds that can be halted from going trouble spots like New York City, Portland, Seattle and Washington, DC.
“It is more of the same from him,” Cuomo thundered. “It’s political, it is gratuitous. And it’s illegal. But it is another attempt to kill New York City.”
“President Ford said drop dead,” the governor added. “President Trump has been actively trying to kill New York City since he’s been elected.”
Andrew Cuomo threatened that Trump would need ‘an army to protect him’ if he wants to come to New York City
Is he admitting that the “peaceful protests” aren’t that peaceful and defunding the police made the city more dangerous?
?
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 3, 2020
Cuomo on Trump: ‘He was disrespected in New York City’
Cuomo even suggested that Trump doesn’t actually care about New York’s rising murder rate, and that this was pure political posturing.
“I think it’s because he is from New York City and New York City rejected him, always,” Cuomo said. “He was dismissed as a clown in New York City, those who know him best, like him least.”
“He was disrespected in New York City,” the governor mocked. “Nobody took him seriously and he was just a tabloid cartoon.”
Cuomo said that Trump’s “negligence” was why New York had the highest coronavirus death toll, apparently ignoring his own dictate that nursing homes accept COVID-19-positive patients.
Joel Fischer @JFNYC1
It's basically proof that Governor Cuomo is right when he says that if President #Trump comes to New York City, he should better prepare an armyJoel Fischer @JFNYC1
Raise your hands if you don't recognize New York City.pic.twitter.com/X94rSNR2iU— Transition To Greatness 2020 (@RobSmall_Trump) September 3, 2020
The governor seemed to walk back his seemingly threatening comments toward the end of his call Wednesday.
“My comment about the president and bodyguards in New York City, all I’m saying is that he is persona non grata in New York City,” Cuomo said. “And I think he knows that.”
“And he’ll never come back to New York, because New Yorkers will never forget how gratuitously mean he has been to New Yorkers and how many times he’s tried to kill the city that gave him his start and birthed him,” he added.
“That’s what I meant about the bodyguards,” Cuomo appeared to deflect from his earlier statements.
Trump Tweets
Trump tweeted Wednesday night, “My Administration will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses.”
“We’re putting them on notice today,” the President added.
My Administration will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses. We’re putting them on notice today. @RussVought45
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2020