New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo opened his Wednesday press conference with some Bible verses as a way to criticize President Donald Trump’s decision to take a photo holding a bible in front of St. John’s Episcopal Church amid ongoing protests, The Hill reports.
“The president held up the Bible the other day in Washington, D.C.,” Cuomo said. “Here in New York we actually read the Bible."
Cuomo quoted several passages that he noted “are especially appropriate for today in this time of where we are,” as protests over the death of George Floyd continue across the country. People have been protesting the death of Floyd, a black man, by a white police officer in Minneapolis.
This isn't the first time Cuomo has blasted Trump's Bible photo op. He previously accused the president of turning demonstrations into “a reality TV show of God and country" in a CNN interview and on Twitter.
Cuomo first cited Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
The governor then read Mark 3:25, “If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”
He then turned to Psalms 34:14, “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace and work to maintain it” before finally citing James 3:18: “The seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Cuomo then began to quote other people like Department of Defense Secretary Mark Esper who said Wednesday that the Insurrection Act should only be used “in the most urgent and dire of situations."
Trump threatened to use the law as a way to send the military to cities if governors did not stop violent protests.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.