Friction between New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration and the Trump transition team currently headquartered in Midtown Manhattan exploded on Twitter Tuesday.
De Blasio spokesman Eric Phillips picked a fight Tuesday with forthcoming White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer over city resources needed for the massive NYPD security detail surrounding Trump Tower.
“Back to work at Trump Tower after false alarm. Thanks NYPD,” Spicer tweeted Tuesday after a suspicious package (which turned out to be a box of toys) was left unattended and caused a brief evacuation of the building.
That’s when Phillips shot back: “No problem. We’ll send you the bill.”
New York City has grumbled over the $35 million it takes to protect the New York billionaire when he is in the city.
Trump’s communications director, Dan Scavino, at this point, called Phillips an “embarrassment.”
Philips hit back, “But about that bill . . . work on it with us?”
Additionally, businesses around the 5th Avenue midtown location of Trump Tower say their bottom lines have been hit as a result of the beefed up security around the area.
The Mayor’s office sent out a statement Wednesday morning announcing it would partially re-open 56th street to crosstown traffic after several weeks of closure.
“The safety of New Yorkers and of the President-Elect are our top concern. The changes we are implementing will maintain that security, while allowing for more movement in the area and addressing concerns raised by surrounding businesses. We will continue to examine and carefully confront the challenges presented by this unprecedented responsibility,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“Protecting the President-elect while minimizing the impact to nearby businesses has required constant dialogue from everyone involved,” said Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “We welcome the re-opening of 56th street to increase pedestrian and vehicular movements in the area while still maintaining the security of the next President of the United States.”