After decades of calling New York City home, President Donald Trump declared residency in Florida—home of his infamous Mar-a-Lago resort—last November.
At the time, Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told Trump "good riddance," and nearly a year later, he's doubling down after Trump threatened to cut funding from the city.
This week, Trump ordered all federal agencies to report current federal funding for New York to the Office of Management and Budget so the funds could be reallocated, citing so-called "lawless" protests.
Cuomo didn't mince words when responding to this news on a call with reporters.
Listen below.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo: "Forget bodyguards, [Trump] better have an army if he thinks he's gonna walk down the street in New York." https://t.co/BeLZwruGkU pic.twitter.com/oXOLU8NjyB
— The Hill (@thehill) September 3, 2020
Cuomo said:
"It really does speak volumes about him—changed his residence to go to Florida. Why? He can't come back to New York. He can't. He's going to walk down the street in New York? Forget bodyguards, he better have an army if he thinks he's going to walk down the street in New York."
On Twitter, Cuomo called Trump's effort to defund New York an "illegal stunt."
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.
He is not a king. He cannot "defund" NYC.
It's an illegal stunt.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) September 2, 2020
Trump lashed out at Cuomo on Twitter soon after the remarks.
Governors Andrew Cuomo of New York has the worst record on death and China Virus. 11,000 people alone died in Nursing Homes because of his incompetence!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2020
.@NYGovCuomo should get his puppet New York prosecutors, who have been illegally after me and my family for years, to investigate his incompetent handling of the China Virus, and all of the deaths caused by this incompetence. It is at minimum a Nursing Home Scandal - 11,000 DEAD!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2020
Though Trump wants to see federal funding for New York reduced due to protests, New York actually contributes more to the federal government than it receives. From 2015 to 2018, New Yorkers paid in over $116 billion more in taxes than the state received in federal funding.
People agreed with Cuomo that Trump is "persona non grata" in his home state.
I'm loving the no BS Cuomo. https://t.co/LLI9iMaQhe
— Susan S (@docsue_swank) September 3, 2020
NY hates trump because they know him best https://t.co/aw2JGjfO17
— Tina -#BidenHarris2020 (@trcfwtt) September 3, 2020
YOU CANT COME HERE NOMORE https://t.co/4kszwOApnn
— RellysworldYT (@shelovesrelly) September 3, 2020
New York City knows @realdonaldtrump for the joke that he is.
"The people who know him best like him least" —@NYGovCuomo https://t.co/Cjbqz3pSxy
— MurphyBrown (@MurphyBrwn) September 3, 2020
Trump has been a persona non grata in NY for a long time...they have known how shady he is for years. Oh, how we wish other key parts of the US would have done their homework before 2016. Let's learn from this mistake and move on with our lives. https://t.co/2aVhCW5Jw9
— jilli (@jilli35460054) September 3, 2020
He was 'persona non-grata' long before this and was shunned by NY society for decades. Now he's just hated by a large swath of ordinary citizens in addition to that. https://t.co/zubVdogPCf
— Karine-Marie - 61DaysTilWe8645 #VoteNasty (@karine808) September 3, 2020
Others echoed Cuomo's opposition to Trump's efforts.
We will not allow President Trump's malicious infantile ways to hurt New York City.
Instead of these foolish stunts he ought to be focused on getting our country out of the COVID crisis.https://t.co/lMbbr6RJvq
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 3, 2020
Donald Trump wants to defund New York. At least we didn't kill 186,000 Americans. Our governor shut us down with a curfew and mandatory masks and we went from the most cases to the least, under 1%.
— Sandi Bachom (@sandibachom) September 3, 2020
Trump is so threatened by Governor Cuomo, that he's decided to illegally “defund New York City".
So, if the Federal government is defunding New York- that must mean New Yorkers will no longer have to pay taxes to support the federal government. Right?
— Shari Lynn (@LynnSharig8) September 3, 2020
Last month, Trump said he believed he could win his former home state's 29 electoral votes in the 2020 election.
In 2016, Trump lost New York, with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton winning with 85 percent of the vote. Current polling indicates Trump will lose by double digits.
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