By Ronn Blitzer | Fox News
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and President Trump clashed in heated terms Tuesday over who is ultimately responsible for reopening the economy: the states or the federal government.
Trump said at a Monday press briefing that he has “total” authority over this — but Cuomo told CNN on Tuesday morning that if Trump ordered states to reopen before he is ready to do so, he would defy the order and fight the administration in court.
CUOMO SAYS TRUMP HAS ‘DELIVERED FOR NEW YORK’ BUT CAN BE ‘VICIOUS’
“If he ordered me to reopen in a way that would endanger the public health of the people of my state, I wouldn’t do it,” Cuomo told CNN. “And we would have a constitutional challenge between the state and the federal government and that would go into the courts and that would be the worst possible thing he could do at this moment.”
.@NYGovCuomo: “If [Trump] ordered me to reopen in a way that would endanger the public health of the people of my state, I wouldn’t do it.”https://cnn.it/3ba912R
The fight escalated and expanded quickly from there, with Trump first blasting Cuomo for seeking “Independence” and then likening the tensions with numerous states to a “mutiny.”
“Tell the Democrat Governors that ‘Mutiny On The Bounty’ was one of my all time favorite movies. A good old fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain. Too easy!” he tweeted.
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
Tell the Democrat Governors that “Mutiny On The Bounty” was one of my all time favorite movies. A good old fashioned mutiny every now and then is an exciting and invigorating thing to watch, especially when the mutineers need so much from the Captain. Too easy!51.8K
Cuomo, in his interview, said that the Constitution places this power in the hands of the states. To that end, he has recently outlined key objectives for reopening New York after weeks of social-distancing restrictions tied to the coronavirus pandemic, and has discussed a regional approach with governors of neighboring states.
“We have the Tenth Amendment that is explicit,” Cuomo said. Certain responsibilities are state responsibilities. Health, welfare, quarantine, those are health responsibilities. So the president should not even think of going there.”
The governor stated that the Constitution “says the exact opposite that the president said” about the federal government’s power.
Cuomo noted that Trump’s Monday remarks ran contrary to the administration’s previous stance, which was to recognize governors’ role in deciding how and when to shut down activities in their states.
“You know the first position, he stepped back and said it’s up to the states. This is stepping forward and trying to step over the states which is, frankly, I think more partisan, more divisive, and more dangerous,” he said.
Later in the morning, Trump fired back, implying that the governor only wants control when it is convenient for him.
“Cuomo’s been calling daily, even hourly, begging for everything, most of which should have been the state’s responsibility, such as new hospitals, beds, ventilators, etc.,” Trump tweeted. “I got it all done for him, and everyone else, and now he seems to want Independence! That won’t happen!”
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
Cuomo’s been calling daily, even hourly, begging for everything, most of which should have been the state’s responsibility, such as new hospitals, beds, ventilators, etc. I got it all done for him, and everyone else, and now he seems to want Independence! That won’t happen!69.8K
Cuomo has not been shy when it comes to criticizing – or praising – Trump for his handling of the pandemic. While he called the president’s current approach to reopening the economy a “dictatorial theory,” he told Howard Stern in a Monday interview that Trump “has delivered for New York.”
In the same interview, he said the president could be “vicious” in his attacks.
