President Donald Trump, believe or not, has just weighed in on New Jersey’s state budget.

The Republican president on Monday praised the Garden State’s Democratic-controlled Legislature, which refused to pass Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposal for a millionaires tax.

“Congratulations to legislators in New Jersey for not passing taxes that would have driven large numbers of high end taxpayers out of the state. Many were planning to leave, & will now be staying. New York & others should start changing their thought process on taxes, fast!” Trump tweeted.

Congratulations to legislators in New Jersey for not passing taxes that would have driven large numbers of high end taxpayers out of the state. Many were planning to leave, & will now be staying. New York & others should start changing their thought process on taxes, fast! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2019

The message is music to the ears for Murphy, who criticizes Trump as often as he can as the governor of a state where the president is deeply unpopular.

And it’s likely not the endorsement state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, who refused to budge on a millionaires tax, were looking to get.

“We all know @ realDonaldTrump is fighting for millionaires like himself. I’m fighting for New Jersey’s middle class and all those working to get there.” Murphy responded in a tweet of his own.

We all know @realDonaldTrump is fighting for millionaires like himself. I'm fighting for New Jersey's middle class and all those working to get there. https://t.co/2KlO2y2OE4 — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) July 1, 2019

The president’s tweet gave Murphy’s chief of staff a good laugh:

And Phil Swibinski, a spokesman for pro-Murphy advocacy group New Direction New Jersey, was quick to respond:

.@GovMurphy asking legislators "Whose side are you on?" has never had more meaning than it does right now. When you're a Democrat being congratulated by Donald Trump, you're doing it wrong. https://t.co/3yHAdGJarG — Phil Swibinski (@philswib) July 1, 2019

Trump’s disapproval rating in the Garden State was 59 percent, higher than all but nine other states, according to a Gallup poll from earlier this year that gauged the president’s job approval rating in all 50 states.

Only 35 percent of New Jerseyans approve of his job performance.

Murphy, meanwhile, promised not to relent in his fight for a millionaires tax during a public event in Trenton Sunday, where progressive activists cheered the governor on as he railed against the Legislature.

“The legislative leaders refused to give it a fair hearing and refused to put it up for a vote just to deny the people of New Jersey a clear tally of who stands with them and who stands against them,” Murphy said at the event.

“And so, I ask again: Whose side are you on?” he continued. “Time and again, the status quo forces in Trenton took the wrong side.”

In response, Sweeney, who has locked horns with Murphy time and again, took a jab at the governor by comparing him to none other than Donald Trump.

“This actually reminds me of Donald Trump in some ways — he declares victory after he doesn’t get his way,” the Senate president said at his own news conference Sunday.

Hours after the president’s comments Monday, Sweeney responded with his own tweets:

.@realdonaldtrump, what you missed is our budget is both fiscally responsible and fair to working people, caring for those most in need – things you have failed to do. Budgets should not serve to punish the poor, the middle class, the rich or anyone. (1/2) https://t.co/vh9UsIlfbz — Steve Sweeney (@NJSenatePres) July 1, 2019

Coughlin, the Assembly speaker, declined to comment on Trump’s tweet.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.