During a recent FDNY promotion ceremony held at the Christian Cultural Center’s Brooklyn Campus, New York Attorney General Letitia James encountered a hostile reception from the audience. As she approached the podium to deliver her speech, James was greeted with a chorus of boos and chants of “Trump” from the crowd, which consisted of family members of those being promoted, as well as their fellow firefighters.
Attempting to quell the disruption, James urged the crowd to “simmer down,” reminding them they were in a house of God and thanking them for “getting it out of your system.” Despite her efforts, the jeering quickly evolved into vocal support for former President Donald Trump, reflecting the contentious atmosphere surrounding James’ recent legal victory in a $454 million civil fraud judgment against Trump.
James, undeterred by the crowd’s reaction, continued her speech, offering prayers for “those men and women who exemplify true courage,” including those who might disagree with her. She acknowledged the 65 uniformed members being promoted during the ceremony and also celebrated the swearing-in of Rev. Pamela Holmes as FDNY chaplain.
The attorney general’s presence at the ceremony marked a departure from tradition, as the mayor is typically the elected official invited to speak at such events. The negative response from the audience was attributed by some attendees to James’ involvement in the civil fraud case against Trump, which has been characterized by the former president and his supporters as a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
A Brooklyn firefighter, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed the sentiment that James’ public stance against Trump was a driving factor behind the crowd’s reaction, indicating a broader dissatisfaction among hard-working New Yorkers with her actions.
Despite the controversy, James has continued to highlight the accumulating interest on the judgment against Trump, which grows by approximately $1 million every nine days. Her office declined to comment further on the incident, beyond her real-time response to the jeers.
FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens criticized the taunts as an “embarrassment” and not reflective of the department’s standards, emphasizing that the ceremony was meant to celebrate the achievements of the members being promoted.
The Trump campaign responded to the incident by praising the FDNY’s support for Trump, with spokesman Steven Cheung calling James “an embarrassment to the people of New York” and expressing gratitude for the FDNY’s vocal backing of the former president.
This episode underscores the deep political divisions that continue to influence public events and the challenges faced by officials like James in navigating these tensions while performing their official duties.