Trump Says ‘New York Can Never Be Great Again’ Under Cuomo, Gov. Hits Back

President Donald Trump speaks prior to awarding the Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Master Sgt. Matthew Williams in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Oct. 30, 2019. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters)

President Donald Trump claimed that New York can’t be great under its current leadership, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Trump this week changed his primary residence from New York to Florida. The president, born in the borough of Queens, said on Oct. 31: “I cherish New York, and the people of New York, and always will, but unfortunately, despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state. Few have been treated worse.”

Trump added the next day that Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, both Democrats, are partially to blame for the move.

“I love New York, but New York can never be great again under the current leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo (the brother of Fredo), or Mayor Bill DeBlasio,” he wrote in a statement posted to Twitter.

“Cuomo has weaponized the prosecutors to do his dirty work (and to keep him out of jams), a reason some don’t want to be in New York, another reason they’re leaving.”

Trump said taxes and energy costs are high and noted that Cuomo has blocked fracking in upstate New York, which the president said has led to lower tax revenues in addition to job losses.

The city, he added, “is getting dirty and unsafe again” and police aren’t being treated well with little support from Cuomo or de Blasio.

“New York’s Finest must be cherished, respected, and loved. Too many prople [sic] are leaving our special New York. Great leaders would work with a President and Federal Government that wants our wonerful [sic] City and State to flourish and thrive. I Love New York!” he concluded.

Manhattan Attorney General Cyrus Vance is currently engaged in trying to obtain eight years of Trump’s tax returns.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and his brother Chris Cuomo, a CNN anchor, at an event in New York City in 2018. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

Cuomo said during an interview with The Hill on Friday that Trump was leaving in part because of the lawsuit.

“I don’t think this is about taxes. I think this is a legal maneuver,” the governor alleged.

“He’s being sued by the Manhattan Manhattan District Attorney in New York for release of his taxes, which he doesn’t want to do, obviously, & I think this is a desperate legal tactic, whereby they’re going to argue, well, we’re not New York residents anymore. We’re Florida residents.” Cuomo added.

Prior to the interview, Cuomo reacted to Trump’s leaving by saying, “Good riddance.” He also claimed in a radio interview: “I don’t believe he was ever a New Yorker anyway.”

De Blasio, who was running for president until dropping out earlier this year, responded to one of Trump’s missives, writing, “Crime’s at record lows, jobs are at record highs and you just announced you’re moving away so I’d say it’s never been a better time to be a New Yorker.”