OAN Staff Lillian Mann
4:31 PM – Sunday, July 12, 2026
New York GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman referred to Manhattan as a “third-world country” and a “disaster” when he appeared on 77 WABC Radio’s “Cats Roundtable.”
“The place is just a disaster,” Blakeman (R-N.Y.) told host John Catsimatidis on Sunday. “I talked to store owners in Manhattan, and they are very, very upset about … homeless people all over the place. Litter all over our streets. It just looks like a third-world country.”
The gubernatorial candidate’s comments come amid significant criticism of Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-N.Y.) for the city’s handling of the massive homeless encampments accumulating on streets immediately outside the Intrepid Museum in Manhattan, according to the report.
Blakeman, who is currently serving as the elected Nassau County executive, also condemned Mamdani for cancelling the planned hiring of hundreds of New York City police officers in the upcoming city budget, according to a separate report from the New York Post.
“You saw the multiple shootings in New York City just over (the 4th of July) weekend,” Blakeman said.
“It’s like gunfights from the Wild West,” he added. “When you have a mayor that has a budget larger than the State of Florida, and he couldn’t find money to hire cops and not fill vacancies of all the people who retired over the last year — you know that his heart is not into protecting our communities.”
Blakeman also criticized Governor Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.), claiming that the Big Apple ranks last in economic outlook under her leadership and asserting that “common sense” Democrats want him to win the upcoming election.
Meanwhile, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal bashed Blakeman for the harsh claims, saying they were completely false.
“What’s he bloviating on about? This is the fun summer of Manhattan!” Hoylman-Sigal proclaimed.
“The Knicks! The World Cup! America 250! Taylor and Travis! Plus, with crime at all-time lows in Manhattan, it’s safe enough even for precious-minded suburbanites like Bruce to enjoy all that’s happening here,” he added.
The sharp exchange highlights the deep political divide between city leaders and suburban officials over New York’s safety and economy.
After Hoylman-Sigal criticized the remarks, Blakeman stood by his statements, citing the city’s prominent homelessness issues as a core reason for his stance.
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