Trump touted an endorsement of him by a notorious Mafia killer ("Sammy the Bull")

Whereas Trump has unleashed tirades against such respected public figures as the late John McCain, a former Arizona war prisoner and senator,¹ Georgia Republican governor Brian Kemp,² and the Gold star parents of a slain U.S. soldier,³ he expressed only gratitude to a former Mafia boss and killer.

In a posting on January 13, 2024, on his Truth Social platform, Trump thanked "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, a notorious Mafia killer and underboss, for Gravano's praise of Trump's character.⁴ Trump expressed his gratitude to Gravano, writing, "Thank you to Sammy the Bull."⁵

Gravano had been an underboss to Mafia boss John Gotti and admitted to being involved in 19 homicides, including "a few" in which he personally killed someone (he added, "when I'm ordered to kill, I kill").⁶ Gravano's credibility in claiming that Trump was "incorruptible" was, of course, dubious. "Sammy the Bull" wasn't the only Mafia figure who gravitated toward Trump. Michael Franzese, a past top Mafia boss,⁷ noted on Instagram in 2021 that "most wiseguys [Mafia figures] are for Trump," and added in 2024 that he enthusiastically supported Trump in the upcoming November election.⁸

NBC News, "Trump lashes out at McCain seven months after senator's death," March 16, 2019, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-lashes-out-mccain-seven-months-after-senator-s-death-n984081.
Politico, "trump reopens old feud in Georgia. some Republicans are scratching their heads," August 3, 2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/03/trump-brian-kemp-georgia-00172564.
The New York Times, "Donald Trump Criticizes Muslim Family of Slain U.S. Soldier, Drawing Ire," July 30, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/31/us/politics/donald-trump-khizr-khan-wife-ghazala.html.
Newsweek, "Donald Trump Thanking Ex-Hitman 'Sammy the Bull' Raises Eyebrows," January 13, 2024, https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-thanking-ex-hitman-sammy-bull-raises-eyebrows-1860506; HuffPost, "Trump Touts Ex-Mobster Sammy The Bull as Moral Character Witness," June 23, 2024, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-touts-ex-mobster-sammy-the-bull-as-moral-character-witness_n_65a2d001e4b0351062f20988; Tmz.Com, "Donald Trump Thanks Mobster Sammy the Bull ... For Calling Him 'Legitimate,'" January 13, 2024, https://www.tmz.com/2024/01/13/donald-trump-thanks-mobster-sammy-the-bull-legitimate-guy-incorruptible/; The Atlantic, "Donald Trump's Mafia Mind-Set," August 23, 2018, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/08/trump-gravano-gotti-mafia/568273/.
As cited above.
The Atlantic, August 23, 2018, op cit.; HuffPost, June 23, 2024, op. cit.
CNN Money, "(FORTUNE Magazine)—Cover Story: The 50 Biggest Mafia Bosses," November 10, 1986, https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1986/11/10/68275/index.htm.
The Toronto Sun, "Hunter exclusive: Ex-mobster Sammy the Bull says Trump 'can't lose,'" July 18, 2024, https://torontosun.com/news/world/hunter-exclusive-ex-mobster-sammy-the-bull-says-trump-cant-lose.

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