Trump Calls Cuomo 'Thug,' Ruined New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has not only "ruined" New York, "probably the worst-run state" in the U.S., but the Democrat is a "thug" for weaponization of prosecutors, deflection on COVID-19 deaths, and "bully" shutdown tactics, President Donald Trump told Newsmax TV.

"With what's going on in New York, it's so sad, Greg," Trump told Wednesday's "Greg Kelly Reports" in an exclusive interview. "It's so sad how they've ruined that place."

Trump, once a proud New Yorker, also rejected the Democrats' lack of pandemic leadership, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. But Gov. Cuomo's writing a "negative" book about his pandemic response — "American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic" — when his state is worst in the country in COVID-19 deaths is revisionist history.

"He did a very poor job," Trump told host Greg Kelly. "And a very sad thing: Thousands and thousands of people died unnecessarily. No. 1 in our nation.

"And then he wrote a book. I guess it's a negative book. I don't know. Who the hell's gonna read it? But I guess he wrote a book and it's negative."

Trump noted Cuomo had previously praised the White House coronavirus task force for supplying New York state with ventilators, personal protective equipment, a Navy medical ship, and a makeshift hospital in New York City's Javits Center.

"We gave him the hospital — we gave him the Javits Center — he could have put those patients in there, he never even used them," Trump said. "And he actually hardly used them, and we spent a lot of money helping him, and he's very unappreciative.

"You know, he's a thug and he's very unappreciative. It's one of those things."

Trump said Gov. Cuomo's mismanagement has accelerated an out-migration of New Yorkers to lower-tax states like Florida — including Trump. Also, Trump noted, Gov. Cuomo is using selective prosecution in the state.

"That's why people are leaving New York, because of people like him," Trump said. "He's a thug; he's a bully thug. And people don't need it, because you have a lot of alternatives — like Florida, where everyone's leaving for Florida. And it's too bad because New York is always my place. It's great. But you can't have thugs running it.

"He's got prosecutors all over the place. He uses them to his gain. And he should be prosecuted, frankly, for what he's done. So it's a very sad thing that's happening in New York, when I see what's going on, because I love New York."

Making an impassioned plea for votes in New York, Trump also added Cuomo is hurting New Yorkers by blocking a pipeline to the Northeast that would lower energy costs.

"You know that Cuomo's not letting us build a pipeline to the East Coast," Trump told Kelly. "If he did that, your energy costs would go down by 50%. But he doesn't want to do it for environmental grounds."

Trump lamented that New Yorkers are owned at the ballot box and let down by Democrats and their failed leadership, "being mismanaged into oblivion."

"It's sort of an automatic loss for Republicans, and it's a shame," Trump said. "New York is one of the worst run states in the country. Probably the worst-run state in the country."

Important: See Newsmax TV now carried in 70 million cable homes, on DirecTV Ch. 349, Dish Network Ch. 216, Xfinity Ch. 1115, Spectrum, U-verse Ch. 1220, FiOS Ch. 615, Optimum Ch. 102, Cox cable, Suddenlink Ch. 102, CenturyLink 1209, Mediacom Ch. 277, Frontier 615 or Find More Cable Systems – Click Here.