Immigrant N.Y. Billionaire Backs Trump Wall to Stem Border Flows

  • John Catsimatidis praises the president on taxes, trade war
  • Grocery chain owner shares Trump view on Fed, China,

A man stands on the US-Mexico border wall in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico. 

Photographer: Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images

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New Yorkers can’t seem to escape John Catsimatidis.

The gregarious 70-year-old billionaire is tied to two of the city’s best-known grocery chains: he owns Gristedes and bailed out D’Agostino. He’s a fixture at steakhouses Smith & Wollensky and Bobby Van’s. In 2013, the former Democrat ran for mayor as a Republican, but lost in a primary. He thought about but never started a campaign in 2009.