Donald J. Trump fired back at New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who on Sunday called the Republican presidential front-runner “one of the worst demagogues in recent U.S. political history.”
“N.Y.C. has the worst Mayor in the United States,” Mr. Trump tweeted Monday to his 5.12 million followers. “I hate watching what is happening with the dirty streets, the homeless and crime! Disgrace.”
His tweet comes a day after Mr. de Blasio’s office issued a statement condemning Mr. Trump for remarks he made at a Jewish conference last week, the New York Daily News reported.
“Donald Trump will go down as one of the worst demagogues in recent U.S. political history,” the statement said. “His latest comments last week to a mostly Jewish audience are an example. Based on hateful stereotypes of the Jewish community, they simply have no place in our society.”
During a speech last week to the Republican Jewish Coalition, in Washington, D.C., Mr. Trump cracked a few jokes that some Jewish groups deemed anti-Semitic.
“I’m a negotiator — like you folks,” Mr. Trump said during his address. “Is there anyone in this room who doesn’t negotiate deals? Probably more than any room I’ve ever spoken.”
In a separate tweet Monday, Mr. Trump suggested his comments were harmless.
“I spoke with other candidates to a Jewish group, many friends, in D.C. I said ’I’m a negotiator like you’ Got standing O-rated best of day,” he wrote.
Appearing on CNN’s “New Day,” Mr. de Blasio said the “negotiator like you” comment invoked an “age-old, horrible stereotype.”
“It’s time to say that what Donald Trump is doing, in one way or another, is doing the bidding of our enemies. Because our enemies, in particular ISIS, want to see the American people divided, for example against the Muslim-American community,” the Democrat told host Alisyn Camerota. “That’s the ISIS game plan. And what Trump is saying is falling right into that game plan.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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