The former president raised eyebrows yet again with his latest mob reference — publicly thanking a hitman.
Having previously compared the lawfare waged against him with federal efforts to take down notorious gangster Al Capone, former President Donald Trump invoked the New York mob heading into the early hours of Saturday morning. This time, sharing a snippet of a recent interview from YouTuber DJ Vlad, the president called out former Gambino crime family hitman Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano as a character witness.
“Thank you to Sammy the Bull,” Trump captioned the less-than-one-minute video clip before calling out Judges Arthur Engoron and Lewis Kaplan from his civil fraud trial and his upcoming defamation trial against E. Jean Carroll respectively. “I hope Judges Engoron & Kaplan see this. We need fairness, strength and honesty in our New York Courts. We don’t have it now!”
In the highlighted portion of the interview, Gravano, known for his role as a witness for the government in the prosecution of John Gotti, told the interviewer of futile efforts to get Trump involved with the mob.
“I tried a couple times to press him and make arrangements where I could work with him and earn with him. I did that with other big contractors, I had the power of the unions, and I could do all kinds of little things, but I couldn’t get to him. He wouldn’t bite,” said the ex-hitman who’d served a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking charges related to an ecstasy operation in Arizona.
“He just wouldn’t bite. He didn’t want to do anything like that and there was layers of people in the middle,” explained the former criminal underboss.
FLASHBACK: Former Gambino Crime Family Underboss Sammy the Bull Gravano says Donald Trump is incorruptible.
“I tried to get to him. He just wouldn’t bite.”
THIS IS WHY WASHINGTON HATES HIM.. pic.twitter.com/tYqjRJ9hg4
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) January 13, 2024
Gravano went on to recount how when it was suggested to go to Trump directly, he explained that the then-businessman was surrounded by former FBI agents and they would only get themselves arrested. “So, forget about Trump, he’s a legitimate guy, he don’t wanna do it — forget about Trump.”
Known for being indiscriminate when it comes to people praising him, the president faced criticism from leftists for sharing the testimony of the ex-hitman as Gravano’s own record was seen as an indictment on Trump rather than support for the notion that the businessman couldn’t be moved to work with the mob.
MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski wrote, “Trump thanks Gambino Crime Family member, rat, and serial liar Sammy ‘the Bull’ Gravano, who confessed to 19 murders and countless kidnappings, armed robberies, burglaries & 1000s of other felonies, for vouching for him. Trump’s new character witness.”
Meanwhile, others viewed it as a direct death threat to the judges because of Gravano’s history.
Trump thanks Gambino Crime Family mobster, rat, and serial liar Sammy ‘the Bull’ Gravano, who confessed to 19 murders and countless kidnappings, armed robberies, burglaries & 1000s of other felonies, for vouching for him. Trump’s new character witness. pic.twitter.com/YuRW2ixIUt
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 13, 2024
What nonsense! He’s now quoting a murderous thug. Of course it’s a death threat but, “First Amendment”! Makes me sick how he gets away with everything.
— dalia gelb (@DaliaGelb) January 13, 2024
This seems like a terrorist threat. Why why why does media, gop & law let this conman get away with this?
— Jensen4ever (@Saundradelgad19) January 13, 2024
By contrast, ardent supporters of the president made no attempt to drag out some underlying meaning and instead focused on what was actually being said by the former hitman.
This just confirms why Trump is not in prison already. The Democrats can’t find any dirt on him so they are trying to manufacture something.
— NAPWP (@NAPWP587902) January 13, 2024
Talk about an endorsement! When the mob admits to not being able to get to you! That’s legit!
— SherOhio (@wells_sher) January 13, 2024
That’s a fact! He’s incorruptible.
— Dr Vincent Sativa (@The_Weed_Shop) January 13, 2024
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
- The Lion King song composer sues comedian for eyepopping $27 million over Circle of Life joke - March 30, 2026
- ‘Say the word…’ African nation lobbies for extradition of Ilhan Omar - March 30, 2026
- Hundreds of protesters physically block construction site of NYC men’s homeless shelter - March 30, 2026
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.