GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman met face-to-face with his longtime friend President Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
During an interview with The Post after the powwow, Blakeman declined to delve deeply into what he called a “confidential” conversation with the president, but said they talked about energy and economic policy, crime and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s anti-ICE policies.
“If Gov. Hochul and the legislature pass a law restricting local government from cooperating with ICE, I will sue them in federal court,” Blakeman said.
“I don’t think they have the constitutional right to tell my police department not to work with a federal agency.”
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Blakeman, who is now serving as the Nassau County executive, confirmed he also met with the White House political operation. He wouldn’t confirm whether Trump would campaign for him, but hinted it could unfold.
“He’s very supportive and he’s going to be helpful,” Blakeman said. “I think he’ll be active in my campaign. I think he’ll be helpful.”
The face-to-face was met with derision by Hochul.
“That’s just precious. I know he’s going to get his marching orders,” she said, belittingly.
“I’m not surprised he’s going down there to ask for his help in a struggling campaign. And so I think the voters will look at that with a skewed eye for how they feel about a candidate for governor having to go to the White House to get direction on what to do.”
But Hochul’s attempt at portraying Blakeman as a meek Trump toady at the White House arguably was hypocritical, given her own White House groveling.
When not publicly cosplaying as the Rambo-esque leader of the “resistance,” Hochul regularly chats chummily with Trump over the phone – and isn’t above visiting the White House.
She also presented Trump with a flattering storytime-style booklet last year touting the virtues of congestion pricing.
“Big words, nice colors,” Hochul joked at the time.
