Andrew Cuomo says Trump often asks about brother Chris's recovery from coronavirus: 'Part of it is genuine'
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is known to have a love-hate relation with President Donald Trump. While the two top administrators have their share of differences in day-to-day dealings with the COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed over 23,000 lives in the US, they have not-so-bad terms when it comes to personal affairs.
On April 13, as he formed a coronavirus council with some other eastern states to work on the reopening of the country and defy Trump's claim that he is the one who will decide on the reopening, Cuomo also shared something good about the president. He said the commander-in-chief has frequently asked him about his brother who has been hit by the virus.
On April 13, Andrew told Howard Stern in a radio interview that he did not believe Trump would be glad that his brother Chris Cuomo, a CNN anchor and a frequent critic of the president, contracted the virus even if they have a "confrontational relationship". Trump has routinely accused CNN of being a media house that spreads "fake news". Although there are differences between his family and Trump, Andrew still did not forget to mention the positive sides of the president, who is also a New Yorker like him. He said the president even remembered his mother.
'Trump asks about Chris and remembers my mother'
“Do you think (Trump's) happy your brother got coronavirus because he works for CNN?” Stern asked Andrew on his SiriusXM talk show on April 13. "No," Andrew, 62, replied.
“He’s been critical of Trump,” Stern said, to which Andrew clarified that the relationship that they share with Trump is a mixed one — not perfect but yet has its positives.
“The president always makes a point of saying to me, ‘How is Chris? Is he doing OK?’” Andrew said. The Democrat conceded that it is not something usual with Trump and that they are not chit-chatty when they talk over the phone. “But he always makes a point to say that about Chris and always remembers my mother," Andrew said.
"I think part of it is genuine, personal feeling of anger and part of it is a little theater that goes with politics, especially the way it’s happening now in Washington," Andrew said while analyzing their complicated relationship with the president. Trump attacked Chris "partially because of me and partially because of my brother’s reporting", he added.
While Trump had differences with the Empire State authorities over the latter’s requirement of 30,000 ventilators to treat coronavirus patients, Andrew did not overlook the fact that the president sent a hospital ship called USNS Comfort to New York City to help reduce the burden of the hospitals coping with the abnormal rates of infection and death.
Chris, 49, announced that he tested positive for coronavirus on March 31. He has done several shows since then from the confines of his home in Long Island. Governor Cuomo has also been seen visiting his anchor brother’s nightly CNN show where the two brothers engaged in friendly banter.