Truckers for Trump say they will 'shut down NYC' after $354 million verdict in civil case—Trump calls them 'great patriots'

Donald Trump has called the truckers who say they are boycotting shipments to NYC "great patriots." The truckers are reportedly conducting the boycott in response to the $354 million ruling in the president's New York real estate case.  

After conservative commentator Mark Levin posted about a since-deleted video of a trucker with the X username of @Chicago1Ray saying other truckers were allegedly boycotting the shipments to New York City, Trump took a picture of the post and added in, "Such an honor to have so many Great Patriots on the side of FREEDOM!" 

A second trucker, Jennifer Hernandez, said on Monday in an interview that if the boycott went through it could "shut down New York City." 

"If New York loses...just 10 percent of the trucks going there, their prices are [going to] skyrocket on everything, from milk to eggs to any type of goods that the consumer needs," she added.

It is not clear as to how far spreading the boycott is as of Monday morning. 

Last Friday, Judge Arthur Engoron ordered former President Donald Trump to pay over $354 million in damages in the fraud case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. She previously campaigned on the message, "I will get Trump." The case against the former president brought with it no victims of fraud, unlike any other case that was brought to trial with such harsh penalties in 70 years, according to an Associated Press legal analysis.  

Chicago Ray posted the clip that is now deleted that went viral talking about how truckers were calling him to stop shipments in New York City. Trump later posted about it on Truth Social. 

Chicago Ray shared Trump’s post on his account and said, “God Bless America, God bless Trump, and God bless every Truck driver in this country.” 

In the video from the Chicago Ray trucker, he said: 'I've been on the radio talking to drivers for the last hour, hour fifteen minutes." 

"I've talked to at least ten drivers; they're going to start refusing loads in New York City starting Monday." 

In a new video posted to his X timeline, Chicago Ray explained that he took down the other post because his grandson had "seen it on TikTok."

He clarified that he was not participating in the boycott but that he knew other truckers were doing so. He expressed support for Trump and added that he "heard chatter" and let his audience know what he heard and didn't want to "encourage it" but said truck drivers have the freedom to do so.