New York officials on Wednesday decried President Trump’s politicization of the terror attack on New York City that left eight people dead, and said at a press conference they had yet to hear from the president.
The White House later said Trump had made calls to both New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).
At the earlier press conference, both said they weren’t bothered that they had not heard from Trump at that time, but they did criticize any politicization of the attack.
“I’m not bothered at all because two senior officials called to offer help, and I think that was appropriate,” de Blasio said at a press conference.
“No one wants to politicize any of this, and I don’t think anyone should politicize this,” he added.
De Blasio said that Acting Department of Homeland Secretary Elaine Duke and homeland security adviser Tom Bossert had called to offer assistance.
“I am not bothered that the president didn’t call,” Cuomo said.
The governor said he is bothered by “anyone trying to politicize this,” which he said plays “right into the hands of the terrorists.”
“To politicize this event is wholly unproductive,” he said.
Trump criticized New York Sen. Charles Schumer (D) in an tweet early Wednesday, saying the man who is accused of carrying out the truck attack entered the United States under an immigration program the senator helped create.
Before that, Trump also tweeted his condolences to the victims and families of the New York City attack.
An aide said Schumer hadn’t heard from Trump, or anyone at the White House, about the attacks. Schumer told reporters on Wednesday that he and the president haven’t spoken in two to three weeks.
Eight people were killed on Tuesday when a truck plowed into bicyclists and pedestrians in lower Manhattan. The suspect, Sayfullo Saipov, was shot by police and is currently in custody.
— Jordan Fabian contributed.
— This report was updated at 3:45 p.m.