Trump calls Kathy Hochul ‘crazy’ for wearing hijab during Islamic center visit: 'Worst governor’
WASHINGTON, DC: On Tuesday, President Donald Trump took a shot at New York Governor Kathy Hochul for wearing a head covering during a visit to an Islamic center.
He didn’t hold back on Truth Social, accusing Hochul of trying to win over Arab voters with the gesture.
Trump also tied her appearance to his ongoing complaints about New York City’s congestion pricing plan, continuing his criticism of the governor on several fronts.
Trump targets Kathy Hochul over hijab
Trump wrote that Hochul, whom he described as "considered the Worst Governor in the Country," was "working hard to get the Arab Vote." He also argued that congestion pricing was hurting her politically, "especially [with] the people for whom she wears the hijab."
Kathy Hochul, considered the Worst Governor in the Country, in a recent picture working hard to get the Arab Vote, even though they can’t stand her! Congestion Pricing in Manhattan is hurting her with everybody, but especially the people for whom she wears the hijab. The whole… pic.twitter.com/GSOILXhZt7
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) September 1, 2026
He concluded the post by calling the situation "CRAZY!"
The image the president shared was from an event Hochul attended at the Islamic Cultural Center School in the Bronx last week.
Other prominent figures on the right also spoke out over the matter, including former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt (R), who wrote on X, “Feminist icon, Kathy Hochul,” and Rep Brandon Gill (R-TX), who used the moment to mock Democratic warnings about s*xism from Republicans.
Trump hasn’t let up on Hochul lately, and she has found herself in his crosshairs more than once in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, he spoke to a group of law enforcement officials with Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel at his side. Trump didn’t waste the moment.
He slammed Hochul, claiming she’d “done such a poor job” running New York, and then, without missing a beat, threw his support behind Bruce Blakeman, her Republican opponent for governor.
Trump has also repeatedly targeted New York's congestion pricing program, writing in an August 11 Truth Social post that the policy amounted to a "dangerous political 'experiment'" that would bring the state "Financial, and then Social, RUIN," and referring to it as being pushed by "Radical Left Jihadists."
Trump intensifies criticism of Kathy Hochul
Trump’s been ramping up his social media jabs at Hochul lately, weaving criticism of her policies into his wider campaign messages as the gubernatorial race heats up.
I was a guest in a Muslim house of worship and showed respect for the people who welcomed me.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) September 2, 2026
That used to be standard in this country before you came along.
I’ll never apologize for treating people of any faith with dignity, no matter how Islamophobic you and your enablers… https://t.co/WMMBfnPVj4
All this is playing out against a backdrop of Trump sparring with Democratic governors across the board over issues like immigration, transportation funding, and infrastructure problems. The tension continues to grow.
Recently, joined by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a news conference on Tuesday, Hochul demanded that the president release $87 million still owed to New York.
"Here's my message to the president: don't undermine our public safety efforts," Hochul said. "Don't defund the police who thwart attacks. Don't play political games with people's lives.”
