Mayoral hopeful and former Governor and Andrew Cuomo said at an event Wednesday that he believes President Donald Trump has “declared war” on New York City and cities across the United States in his cuts to federal programs and his recent targeting of immigrants.
Cuomo suggested that Trump is planning on deliberately escalating protests in New York City and eventually sending in federal troops, citing Trump’s deployment of 700 active duty Marines and 4,000 members of the National Guard to quell protests in Los Angeles. The remarks came a day after Mayor Eric Adams said he did not not “foresee” Trump sending federal troops to NYC to quell protests.
The former governor, on the other hand, described Trump as “the arsonist who lights the fire and then returns as the fireman to put out the fire.”
Trump has faced backlash from Democrats across the country for his deployment of federal troops to Los Angeles, with elected officials — including California Gov. Gavin Newsom — accusing Trump of intentionally fanning the flame as protests spread.
Cuomo warned that he expects Trump to use the same tactic he is using in Los Angeles in New York City.
“He goes into Los Angeles, brings in ICE, does all sorts of abusive tactics by ICE, people get agitated, civil unrest, people start to protest and act out, he then comes back with his fireman hat, and he says ‘Oh, civil unrest, and the local officials can’t handle it, I have to bring in the federal troops, because I am Mr. Law and Order,'” Cuomo said. “That’s what he did in L.A., exactly what he did in L.A. That’s what he’s planning to do here.”
Pitching as the anti-Trump choice
As the Democratic mayoral primary approaches its final days before early voting starts on Saturday, Cuomo has increasingly made the pitch that he is the right candidate to take on Trump.
To illustrate his point on Wednesday, he recalled a phone call he had with the president in 2020 during his first term in the White House, when Trump deployed federal troops to cities across the country including Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Portland amid protests over the police killing of George Floyd.
“I said, ‘Listen, you may play that game in Chicago, in Cleveland, in St. Louis, but that’s not going to play here in New York. We don’t need your federal troops here in New York … we are totally capable of taking care of our own backyard,'” Cuomo said. “And you know what he did? He backed off. You know why? He wants no piece of New York.”
Cuomo and Queens Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, the two leaders in the Democratic primary for mayor, each presented plans Tuesday for how they would respond if Trump did send troops to New York.
At Wednesday’s event, where former Gov. David Paterson and Chair of the Manhattan Democrats Keith Wright threw their support behind Cuomo in the race to Gracie Mansion, Cuomo commended the New York Police Department for its handling of anti-ICE protests Tuesday near Foley Square. The NYPD made 80 arrests at the demonstration, which continued well into the night.
Cuomo urged protesters to remain peaceful so as to “not give [Trump] that excuse” to send in federal troops.
“NYPD did their job respectfully. You protest peacefully? Fine,” Cuomo said. “But we give you no excuse to put New York on the national news, and say New York is out of control, and New York doesn’t know how to manage, and we’re going to send in federal troops.”
The city is set to see massive protests on Saturday as part of a national “No Kings Day” of action in protest of Trump’s military parade and “increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies.”
Trump has said that any disruption to the parade, which will take place in Washington, would be met with “very big force.”
