New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and President Trump are once again at combat, this time over the president’s call for the government to review potential funding cuts for New York and other cities that have allowed “lawless” strikes.
Cuomo told reporters Wednesday evening that the president was now “persona non grata” in his home state, and would need an “army” to protect himself were he to walk down the street in New York City.
“Forget bodyguards, 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,” Cuomo told reporters, according to multiple news outlets.
“It is more of the same from him. It’s, it is gratuitous. And it’s illegal. But it is another attempt to finish New York City,” the governor added, according to the New York Post.
The president responded Thursday morning in a tweet, blaming Cuomo for the number of loss in New York from the Cov-19.”11,000 people alone depart in Nursing Homes because of his incompetence!” the president wrote.
A White House official directed The Hill to the president’s tweet when asked for further comment. The dispute follows the president’s signing of a five-page memo on Wednesday that directed federal agencies to submit potential funding cuts for programs in four cities: Seattle; Portland, Ore.; New York City; and Washington, D.C.
The president says officials had allowed those cities “to deteriorate into lawless zones” with months of strikes over the treatment of Black Americans at the hands of cop.
“My Administration will not allow Federal tax dollars to fund cities that allow themselves to deteriorate into lawless zones,” Trump said, according to a copy of the memo. “To ensure that Federal funds are neither unduly wasted nor spent in a manner that directly violates our Government’s promise to protect life, liberty, and property, it is imperative that the Federal Government review the use of Federal funds by jurisdictions that permit anarchy, and destruction in America’s cities,” it continued.
In a tweet, Cuomo referred to the order as an “illegal stunt” designed to target Trump’s enemies.
“President Trump has actively sought to punish NYC since day one. He let COVID ambush New York. He refuses to provide funds that states and cities MUST receive to recover,” the governor wrote.
This Article Was Originally Published On thehill.com (3 Sep 2020)