New York City will terminate all of its multimillion-dollar management contracts with the Trump Organization to operate four attractions in the city’s public parks, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.
De Blasio claimed the president had violated a provision in the contracts barring criminal behavior by “inciting an insurrection” last week when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, leaving five people dead.
“The contracts make very clear that if the company and the leadership of that company is engaged in illegal activity, we have a right to severe the contract,” de Blasio said in an appearance on MSNBC on Wednesday morning. “Inciting an insurrection against the United States government clearly constitutes criminal activity.”
“So, the City of New York will no longer have anything to do with the Trump Organization,” he said, one day after announcing the contracts would be examined.
The four contracts — to operate the Central Park Carousel, the Wollman and Lasker skating rinks, and the Ferry Point Golf Course — are worth more than $45 million, according to the New York Post. The rinks account for roughly $36 million.
While President Trump owns the organization, it is currently run by his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
Eric Trump blasted the city’s decision, calling it “yet another example of Mayor de Blasio’s incompetence and blatant disregard for the facts.”
“The City of New York has no legal right to end our contracts and if they elect to proceed, they will owe The Trump Organization over $30 million,” he said in a statement to ABC News. “This is nothing more than political discrimination and we plan to fight vigorously.”