Florida GOP Chair Announces ‘President Donald J. Trump Florida Residency Day’

President Donald Trump gestures during the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and Exposition at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Oct. 28, 2019. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Florida GOP Chairman Joe Gruters reportedly announced in a fundraising email on Thursday the “President Donald J. Trump Florida Residency Day.”

“President Trump has announced that he will be making Palm Beach, FL his new permanent residence,” the email read, according to Zeke Miller, a White House reporter for The Associated Press.

“In honor of this great news, as Chairman of the Republican Party of FL, I am declaring Nov. 1 to be ‘President Donald J. Trump Florida Residency Day,’” the email reportedly said.

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• Trump Changes Permanent Residence to Florida

Trump confirmed on Thursday that he has sought to make Florida his new permanent residence.

He and his wife, Melania, filed separate “declaration of domicile” documents with the Palm Beach County Circuit Court in September to change their residence to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump said on Twitter on Thursday: “I cherish New York, and the people of New York, and always will, but unfortunately, despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state. Few have been treated worse.

“I hated having to make this decision, but in the end it will be best for all concerned. As President, I will always be there to help New York and the great people of New York. It will always have a special place in my heart!” he added.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo later tweeted on Thursday: “Good riddance. It’s not like @realDonaldTrump paid taxes here anyway... He’s all yours Florida.”

White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters on Friday afternoon that Cuomo was taking a “cheap shot” at Trump and denied that Trump is engaging in tax avoidance. She also emphasized that Trump will be paying taxes in Florida.

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• Appeals Court Temporarily Blocks Release of Trump’s Tax Returns
• NY Governor Signs Bill Letting Congress Get Trump’s State Tax Returns

Trump said on Friday he was not moving his residency to Florida because of the legal challenges facing him in New York.

“They haven’t treated me properly,” Trump told reporters, referring to New York and Cuomo, as he left the White House for a campaign rally in Mississippi on Friday.

“I pay millions of taxes. Millions and millions of dollars in New York and they’ve never treated me—you know, since I became president, they just haven’t treated, I think the office—with the kind of respect,” Trump said.

“And I don’t mind paying the taxes,“ he added. ”New York is a very expensive place to live, but many bad things are happening in New York, and I just put out a statement on New York.”

In a statement on Twitter Friday, Trump reiterated his love for New York while criticizing the elected officials of the city and state.

“I love New York, but New York can never be great again under the current leadership of Governor Andrew Cuomo (the brother of Fredo), or Mayor Bill de Blasio,” Trump wrote in a series of tweets. “Cuomo has weaponized the prosecutors to do his dirty work (and to keep him out of jams), a reason some don’t want to be in New York, and another reason they are leaving.”

“Fredo” in the tweet refers to CNN host Chris Cuomo, the New York governor’s brother who was captured on video blasting a man who called him “Fredo,” the name of a character in the novel and film “The Godfather.”

Trump in his tweets also provided examples of what he appeared to disapprove of in New York.

“Taxes and energy costs are way too high, Upstate is being allowed to die as other nearby states frack & drill for Gold (oil) while reducing taxes & creating jobs by the thousands,” Trump wrote.

“NYC is getting dirty & unsafe again, as our great police are being disrespected, even with water dumped on them, because a Mayor and Governor just don’t ‘have their backs,'” he added. Here, Trump was referring to an incident in July captured in videos, where people in Harlem and Brooklyn targeted uniformed officers by dumping and splashing water on them and, in one case, throwing a plastic bucket at an officer’s head.

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• Rudy Giuliani Blasts Bill de Blasio Over Water Throwing Incident Targeting Officers

“New York’s Finest must be cherished, respected and loved. Too many people are leaving our special New York. Great leaders would work with a President and Federal Government that wants our wonerful [sic] City and State to flourish and thrive. I Love New York!” Trump concluded.