Politics & Government

Trump Sues NYC Over Losing Bronx Golf Course After Jan. 6 Riot

A lawsuit filed Monday claims Mayor Bill de Blasio wrongly severed a golf course contract with the Trump Organization for political reasons.

A 'TRUMP' branded helicopter sits near a putting green during a ribbon cutting event for a new clubhouse at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, June 11, 2018.
A 'TRUMP' branded helicopter sits near a putting green during a ribbon cutting event for a new clubhouse at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, June 11, 2018. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY — The Trump Organization sued New York City over losing a contract in the fallout of the U.S. Capitol riot to run a city-owned golf course in the Bronx.

The lawsuit filed Monday claims Mayor Bill de Blasio long wanted to sever the city's contracts with the company because of his political animus against former President Donald Trump.

"The City did breach the implied obligation of good faith and fair dealing in that the City’s claim of breach is pretextual," the lawsuit states. "More specifically, Mayor de Blasio had a pre existing, politically-based predisposition to terminate Trump-related contracts, and the City used the events of January 6, 2021 as a pretext to do so."

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De Blasio, for his part, said Trump "inciting an insurrection" on Jan. 6 forfeited his right to do business with the city. He canceled the city's remaining Trump contracts for the Central Park Carousel, the Wollman and Lasker skating rinks and Ferry Point Golf Course.

The lawsuit itself does not dispute Trump's role in the riot, for which he was impeached a second time.

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Instead, the lawsuit focuses on city parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver's claim when severing the contracts that the Trump Organization could no longer live up to its promises of operating a golf course capable of attracting professional, tournament-quality events.

An assortment of golf luminaries, including Dustin Johnson, provided statements that the golf course can continue to host such events in the future, according to the lawsuit.

De Blasio's spokesperson Bill Neidhardt, in a statement, cast the city's position as simple.

"Donald Trump directly incited a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol," he tweeted. "You do that, and you lose the privilege of doing business with the City of New York. It’s as simple as that."

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