Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo came to the defense of former President Donald Trump in a Tuesday-evening tweet on the issue of COVID-19.
Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is currently his top rival for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, have started to clash over their respective handlings of the COVID-19 pandemic. DeSantis has hit Trump for relying too heavily on the guidance of Dr. Anthony Fauci and not leading the way against lockdowns, but Trump fired back Tuesday in a Truth Social post, claiming that DeSantis handled the pandemic even worse than Cuomo.
“Under Ron DeSanctimonious as Governor, Florida was the third WORST State in Deaths by Covid. So why do they say that DeSanctus did a good job? New York had fewer deaths! Also, he shut down the State, and even its beaches (unlike other Republican Governors),” Trump posted. “Even Cuomo did better, he was #4.”
DeSantis pushed back, telling Fox News that Florida ranked better than both California and New York in excess mortality during the pandemic. But Cuomo swooped in to take a shot at DeSantis and side with Trump. (RELATED: DeSantis Slams Trump For ‘Going Left,’ Siding With Disney)
“Donald Trump tells the truth, finally,” Cuomo tweeted late Tuesday. “New York got hit first and worst but New Yorkers acted responsibly. Florida’s policy of denial allowed Covid to spread and that’s why they had a very large second wave.”
Donald Trump tells the truth, finally.
New York got hit first and worst but New Yorkers acted responsibly. Florida’s policy of denial allowed Covid to spread and that’s why they had a very large second wave. https://t.co/dZb59fsSPu
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) May 30, 2023
Cuomo, who became a rising star in the Democratic Party during the pandemic before being ousted from office due to a sexual misconduct scandal, has been one of conservatives’ top targets for COVID-19 policy critique. He infamously sent elderly New Yorkers with COVID-19 into nursing homes early in the pandemic, leading to thousands of deaths of seniors, and was a staunch advocate of locking down the state and imposing various mandates and restrictions.