Canadian businessman and ABC’s “Shark Tank” co-star Kevin O’Leary slammed New York as a “mega-loser state” following a recent court ruling against former President Donald Trump, signaling his disinterest in investing in the state.
JUST IN: ⚠️ Fall out from Trump persecution continues, Shark Tank mogul Kevin O’Leary is DONE INVESTING in the State of New York..
"I would NEVER invest in New York now! And I'm NOT THE ONLY ONE saying that!"
pic.twitter.com/rIvD5ygM7W https://t.co/KsFoybWAvH— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 19, 2024
“I’m no different than any other investor. I’m shocked at this. I can’t even understand or fathom the decision at all. There’s no rationale for it,” O’Leary criticized during an interview with Fox Business host Neil Cavuto. “And so, let me give you a real-time experience I’m having regarding this — and I’m not the only one … New York was already a mega-loser state, like California’s a loser state.”
“There are many loser states because of policy: high taxes, uncompetitive regulation. It was already on the top of the list of being a loser state. I would never invest in New York now,” O’Leary emphasized. “And I’m not the only person saying that.”
“Do you think any foreign institution or any private equity firm or any pension fund would touch New York?” O’Leary questioned. “No! And that’s why New Yorkers should be concerned. The fine people of New York should ask themselves why are we such a loser state? How are we gonna attract business? It’s not just the existing businesses that are fleeing out to Texas and Florida.”
JUST IN: Kevin O’Leary educates CNN host about the Trump “fraud” trial, says every developer in America would be penalized like Trump if treated the same way.
🔥🔥🔥
“Excuse me. What fraud? You get a developer that builds a building and he says it's worth $400 million, and he… pic.twitter.com/xSXaeo03MY
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 20, 2024
The businessman and investor ruled out any possibility of investing significant amounts in New York, stating, “There’s not a chance” he would initiate a billion-dollar project in the state. “What about new money like I’m talking about? Like a $4 billion data center? Not a chance I would put that in New York! Zero probability! Never!”
While addressing CNN, O’Leary disputed the notion of Trump’s business dealings in New York being fraudulent: “What fraud? This is not about Trump anymore. You get a developer that builds a building and he says it’s worth $400 million, and he wants to borrow $200 million from a bank, which happens every day, everywhere on earth.”
“That haggling has gone on for decades. That’s how it works,” O’Leary argued. “They’ve all done the same thing. All of them should go to jail and we should stop building buildings. That’s what the message is from New York.”
