New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Monday swiped at President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE for his handling of gun violence after the president criticized state leaders for their investigation into the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Trump issued a series of morning tweets in which he accused Cuomo and New York Attorney General Letitia James of "illegally using the State's legal apparatus to take down and destroy" the NRA. James's office last week issued subpoenas to the NRA and its affiliates as part of an investigation into the organization's tax-exempt status.

ADVERTISEMENT

"The scourge of gun violence is a national crisis plaguing our country and killing our children. It demands action. And action, Mr. President, requires true leadership," Cuomo said in a statement responding to Trump's tweets.

"The only thing illegal is the gun lobby's insurance scheme," he continued. "Unlike you, President Trump, New York is not afraid to stand up to the NRA. I will continue to fight for the children of this state. As for the NRA, we'll remember them in our thoughts and prayers."

Cuomo chastised Trump for his lack of action to curb gun violence. The governor noted that nearly 75,000 Americans had died of gun violence since his election.

Trump spoke at the NRA's annual meeting on Friday, where he vowed to protect the Second Amendment and cast Democrats as eager to confiscate members' guns.

The president vowed after the February 2018 shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school that he would take action to curb gun violence. At one point, he accused a GOP senator of fearing the NRA.

Trump ultimately did not back universal background checks or increasing the age requirements to purchase firearms, instead unveiling a series of proposals to improve school safety. The White House disputed the characterization that Trump "chickened out" in the face of pressure from the NRA.