Trump's NYC Bodega Visit Has Supporters Remembering This Jill Biden Blunder
It's hard to tell which situation is more surreal: former President Donald Trump recently visiting a New York City bodega previously owned by someone who was charged (then later cleared) with stabbing a robber to death to make a political statement or first lady Jill Biden calling bodegas "bogodas" a couple of years ago. In either case, the internet is having a heyday comparing the two moments.
The latter incident happened in 2022, around the same time the Hamilton Heights bodega was making headlines for the attempted robbery and subsequent murder. While visiting San Antonio for a UnidosUS conference, Biden spoke about the importance of diversity spearheaded by UnidosUS' former president and CEO, Raul Yzaguirre.
Unlike Jill Biden, Donald Trump can actually pronounce "Bodega" 🤣
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 17, 2024
Biden listed various examples of diversity in communities, including "the 'bogodas' of the Bronx," "the blossoms of Miami," and "the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio" (via CNN). Biden's office later issued an apology for the mispronunciation. In April 2024, Trump was also using bodegas to make a political statement — albeit a slightly more scandalous one.
Donald Trump used his bodega visit to criticize crime control in NYC
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged bodega owner Jose Alba with the murder of Austin Simon, the man who jumped over Alba's store counter and began physically assaulting him in an attempted robbery. When Alba couldn't de-escalate the situation, he pulled out a knife. Simon's girlfriend, who was present at the time, also attacked Alba with a knife. She was uninjured.
The DA's charge against Alba raised public outcry for those defending the bodega owner's decision to act in self-defense. The charges were later dropped, and Alba moved to his native Dominican Republic. It's unknown whether he was invited or attended Trump's visit to his former bodega, now owned by Maad Ahmed. The former president used his visit to condemn New York prosecutors — specifically Bragg, who is leading the prosecution in Trump's civil fraud case.
"They want law and order. They have a lot of crime, tremendous crime, and their stores over there, stores are being robbed," Trump said to the crowd outside of the bodega. "It's Alvin Bragg's fault. Alvin Bragg does nothing. He goes after guys like Trump, who did nothing wrong. There are hundreds of murders all over the city. They know who they are, and they don't pick them up. They go after Trump" (via CNN).