WASHINGTON — President Trump told Chris Cuomo that “I actually appreciate your family” — after the younger brother of New York City mayoral front-runner Andrew Cuomo recalled how he placed a “comfort call” after the then-candidate narrowly survived an assassination attempt last year.
“I do remember your call. I appreciate your call, and I actually appreciate your family. I’ve known your family for a long time,” Trump told the NewsNation anchor Wednesday night in a live-broadcast phone interview.
The president’s kind words for the Cuomo family come as congressional Republicans push the Justice Department to open a perjury investigation into Andrew Cuomo related to his alleged role in covering up COVID-19 deaths at Empire State nursing homes, which he had mandated take infected patients.
Trump clashed with the elder Cuomo throughout his first term. When Trump threatened to yank federal funding for the Big Apple for allegedly allowing lawlessness during Black Lives Matter protests, Cuomo threatened: “He better have an army if he thinks he’s gonna walk down the street in New York. New Yorkers don’t want to have anything to do with him.”
Chris Cuomo elicited the president’s comment after noting that he had called Trump after the Butler, Pa., assassination attempt.
“There was a lot of heat that came my way as if I shouldn’t have been making a comfort call to Donald Trump,” he told the commander in chief, 78.
“Every president who is considered great was seen as a unifier. What do you need to do to be remembered as someone who could bring this country together?”
Trump replied that “I think I will be a great unifier.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
