Eric Trump, a longtime critic, praised New York Mayor Bill de Blasio for holding two ice skating rinks run by the Trump organization.
But the city refuses to rely on its pressure to sever ties with Donald Trump’s businesses following the U.S. Capitol riot, which the former president is accused of inciting, an allegation he denies.
Last month, de Blasio announced that NYC would terminate three contracts with the Trump organization following the January 6 US Capitol attack. The decision affects the skating rinks at Central Park Carousel, Wollman and Lasker and the Ferry Point golf course – all of which are operated. by Trump’s business empire.
“The president has sparked a rebellion against the United States government that has killed five people and threatened the constitutional transfer of power,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement last month, adding that the city “did not stick to the unforgivable deeds in any form, manner or form. “
After receiving the planned closure of the Central Park ice rinks with local criticism, de Blasio’s press secretary, Bill Neidhardt, said the runways would remain open for the rest of the season, but reiterated that the city “does not agree with the Trump organization will not do business. forward, “reports The Associated Press.
“To incite an uprising will never be forgotten or forgiven,” Neidhardt said.
Eric Trump, the former president’s son and executive president of the Trump Organization, responded to the news with heartfelt thanks to the mayor, an outspoken critic of his father.
“Mr. Mayor – thank you for keeping Wollman and Lasker Rinks open – you just made countless NYC families (along with our 250 employees) incredibly happy,” Trump tweeted Sunday. “This is a bright moment for New York and we know we appreciate it. I look forward to saying ‘thank you’ in person.”
Newsweek contacted de Blasio’s office for comment.
The decision was also positively received by members of the community who protested against the closure of the track. Local non-profit organizations Ice Hockey in Harlem praised the move to reopen its ‘home’ Lasker Rink as an ‘incredible turnaround’.
High school student Serena Sabet, who received more than 6,000 signatures on an online petition to keep the lanes open, said there was “no dry eye on the lane” when the decision was announced.
According to the AP, Erik Trump has previously complained that the closure of the lane “is merely a political stunt that only hurts New Yorkers.”
“Instead of focusing on a dying city that is leaving everyone because of rising crime, high taxes, closed businesses and totally incompetent leadership, the mayor is painting signs in front of Trump Tower and trying to do the only extracurricular activity during a pandemic.” said Trump in a statement.
Trump has not loved de Blasio in the past, especially since he has criticized the Democratic mayor in particular over the prejudice against law enforcement. In July 2019, Trump called de Blasio a ‘disgrace to NYC’ that was detested by ‘virtually everyone in the NYPD’.
In an appearance in Fox News in 2020, Trump called de Blasio ‘anti-cop’ and claimed that his policies had made New York ‘more dangerous’.
“He was so anti-law enforcement, and it shows,” Trump said. “He allows them to be beaten and he allows them to be assaulted and he takes away their rights.”
In May 2019, after de Blasio held a press conference in the Trump Tower lobby urging Trump organization to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Trump called the event ‘childish’.
“The fact that the mayor of a big city would attack an iconic organization (employing thousands of hard-working New York taxpayers) for its own political gain is an abuse of power, unethical and merely counter-intuitive,” Trump tweeted. .
Olivier DOULIERY / AFP