President Donald Trump seemed to link federal policies on New York to his demand that the state drop investigations into his administration and company.
Trump appeared to offer a quid pro quo to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ahead of their White House meeting on Thursday after the administration announced a ban on New Yorkers using the Global Entry and “trusted traveler” program.
“I’m seeing Governor Cuomo today at The White House. He must understand that National Security far exceeds politics. New York must stop all of its unnecessary lawsuits & harrassment, start cleaning itself up, and lowering taxes,” Trump wrote on Twitter.
Cuomo’s team said the two will meet again in the future.
"As the Governor previously said, we believe DHS's action was politically motivated and unwarranted as the FBI already has information regarding criminal records and TTP applicants already go through an extensive federal background check." Communications Director Dani Lever said. "The President said that this is an issue he wants to work on and that he would follow up with the Governor next week."
DHS banned New Yorkers from travel programs:
The Department of Homeland Security said earlier this week it would ban New Yorkers from the Global Entry program, which allows users to bypass customs lines, and the Trusted Traveler program, which allows users to go through expedited lanes at airports and border crossings.
The move came in response to New York’s new Green Light Law, which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
Democrats fire back:
New York Attorney General Letitia James informed Trump, “I file the lawsuits, not the Governor.”
“When you stop violating the rights and liberties of all New Yorkers, we will stand down,” she said. “Until then, we have a duty and responsibility to defend the Constitution and the rule of law.”
New York Rep. Jerry Nadler tweeted that “this is what another quid pro quo by the President of the United States looks like.”
