During a Democratic primary debate for New York City mayor, former governor Andrew Cuomo claimed he was the reason President Donald Trump never deployed federal troops to NYC amid the 2020 George Floyd riots. In an interview, he said that Trump, despite sending National Guard units to cities like Los Angeles, Washington, and Portland, avoided New York due to his direct request. Cuomo framed his stance as a political strategy to protect the city’s sanctuary status, vowing to continue defending its immigrant protections if elected. His comments highlight ongoing tensions around federal intervention and city autonomy, particularly as Trump is seen as targeting sanctuary cities in his recent actions.
Cuomo’s assertion that Trump ‘never sent troops into New York because I said to him, ‘You better never send troops into New York. We don’t need them. It would be a hostile act. It would be a problem.”
These claims are part of a broader narrative about how Trump’s approach to civil unrest has shifted since 2020, with the administration moving toward a more aggressive use of federal forces in cities experiencing widespread protests. The National Guard’s involvement in Los Angeles this year has been framed by the administration as a necessary measure to ensure public safety and uphold federal immigration enforcement. Cuomo’s remarks, however, emphasize his opposition to such measures in New York, where the city’s status as a sanctuary city is a major policy issue.
As the debate for NYC mayor continues, Cuomo’s stance on federal intervention and sanctuary policies remains a key talking point. His claims about Trump’s decisions are not only a reflection of his political positioning but also a response to the larger issue of how local governments navigate their relationship with federal authorities in times of crisis. The discussion underscores the complex interplay between state and federal power in addressing civil unrest and immigration policy.