NEW York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that Donald Trump would "need an army to step foot in New York City" over the White House's plan to defund what it dubbed "anarchist" cities – as their bitter feud erupted on Wednesday.
A furious Cuomo called a last-minute press conference on Wednesday evening following the news of the president's plans.
"Forget bodyguards, he better have an army if he thinks he's going to walk down the street in New York," the Governor blasted.
The bold comments came following a New York Post article claiming that Trump is ordering the federal government to defund the Big Apple.
The president signed a memo on Wednesday ordering all federal agencies to send reports to the White House Office of Management and Budget that detail funds that can be redirected, according to the Post.
As well as New York, the memo also targets Washington DC, Seattle and Portland.
"My Administration will not allow Federal tax dollars to fund cities that allow themselves to deteriorate into lawless zones," the document reads.
"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, violence, and destruction in America's cities."
The memo then goes on to instruct White House budget director Russ Vought to issue guidance in 30 days from Wednesday "to the heads of agencies on restricting eligibility of or otherwise disfavoring, to the maximum extent permitted by law, anarchist jurisdictions in the receipt of Federal grants," the outlet reported.
Speaking of the proposal, Cuomo ranted: "Look it's more of the same from him it's cheap, it's political, it's gratuitous and it's illegal. But it is another attempt to kill New York City.
"I mean if he didn't have the law and he could do this by his own discretion if he was a king, it would kill New York City which is what he's been trying to do since he was elected and I'm telling you it's personal because New York City knows him for the joke that he is."
Cuomo added: "My comment about the President’s bodyguards in New York City, all I'm saying is that he is persona non grata in New York City.
"I think he knows that and he'll never come back to New York because New Yorkers will never forget how gratuitously mean he has been to New Yorkers and how many times he as tried to kill the city that gave him his start and that birthed him. That’s what I meant."
In his memo, Trump goes on to take direct hits at Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio, suggesting that the order is being made due to the current crime rate in the Empire State.
"In light of this unconscionable rise in violence, I have offered to provide Federal law enforcement assistance, but both Mayor de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo have rejected my offer," Trump wrote.
"While violence has surged, arrests have plummeted. In a 28-day period during the months of June and July, [New York City] arrests were down 62 percent from the same period in 2019.
"Amidst the rising violence, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council agreed to cut one billion dollars from the New York Police Department (NYPD) budget, including by canceling the hiring of 1,163 officers."
He continues: "Police officials have cited this decision as a factor contributing to the rise in violence."
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