New York paying $220 million to hotel owned by Pakistan govt, says Vivek Ramaswamy

This claim, made on Saturday, has drawn significant criticism.

Vivek Ramaswamy described the arrangement as "nuts," stating, "A taxpayer-funded hotel for illegal migrants is owned by the Pakistani government, which means NYC taxpayers are effectively paying a foreign government to house illegals in our own country. This is nuts."

Ramaswamy, a Republican, shared his reaction in a social media post.

Ramaswamy and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have been tasked by President-elect Donald Trump to improve government efficiency and reduce wasteful expenditures under a newly established Department of Government Efficiency.

The controversy was brought to light by author John LeFevre, who wrote on X, "The City of New York pays $220 million to rent the entire Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan to house illegal migrants."

He highlighted that the Roosevelt Hotel is owned by Pakistan International Airlines, which is controlled by the Pakistani government.

LeFevre further noted, "The hotel is owned by the government of Pakistan, and the deal was part of a $1.1 billion IMF bailout package to help Pakistan avoid defaulting on their international debt."

He added that prior to this agreement, the 19-story, 1,200-room hotel had been closed since 2020 due to low occupancy and a need for renovations.

Named after former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, the hotel has now been repurposed by New York City as a shelter for illegal immigrants.