U.S. President Donald Trump has endorsed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City and warned that he would cut federal funding to the city if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the mayoral election scheduled for Tuesday.
Trump, a Republican, has frequently commented on the New York mayoral race and has now crossed party lines to back Cuomo — a former Democrat now running as an independent — over both Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, who is lagging far behind in opinion polls.
Cuomo, a longtime Democratic heavyweight, is contesting as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary. Tuesday’s election is being closely watched across the U.S. as a test of the Democratic Party’s direction and identity in the Trump era.
Mamdani, 34, a self-described democratic socialist, currently leads Cuomo in the polls. His campaign has energized younger and progressive voters but has also worried moderate Democrats who fear that a sharp leftward shift could alienate centrist supporters. Republicans have aggressively attacked Mamdani, with Trump labeling him a “communist.”
“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”
— Donald Trump, on Truth Social
Trump further stated that a vote for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa would effectively help Mamdani win, calling on New Yorkers to unite behind Cuomo instead.
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home,” Trump warned.
According to a report from the New York State Comptroller, the federal government provides about $7.4 billion in funding to New York City annually — roughly 6.4% of the city’s total budget. Trump’s remarks therefore suggest a major potential blow to the city’s finances if Mamdani is elected.
During his second term, Trump has often threatened funding cuts over policies he opposes, including climate initiatives, transgender protections, pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Mamdani, a Uganda-born state assembly member, shocked many political analysts with a decisive victory in the Democratic primary on June 24. His campaign has focused on challenging establishment politicians such as Cuomo, who previously served three terms as governor of New York before resigning in 2021 after a state investigation concluded he had sexually harassed 11 women.
A U.S. Justice Department probe later expanded those findings, revealing that Cuomo had created a “sexually hostile work environment” affecting at least 13 female state employees.
Reacting to Trump’s endorsement, Mamdani accused both Trump and Cuomo of sharing similar political interests and donors.
“The MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this would be the best mayor for him,” Mamdani said during a campaign event.
“They (Trump and Cuomo) share the same donors, they share the same small vision, they share the same sense of impunity,” he added.
Mamdani’s campaign platform includes raising taxes on New York’s wealthiest residents, increasing the corporate tax rate, freezing rent hikes for stabilized apartments, and expanding publicly subsidized housing.
Political analysts say Mamdani’s rise presents both risks and opportunities for the national Democratic Party. While he has successfully attracted young and progressive voters, his outspoken criticism of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and his democratic socialist stance have worried some within the party and alarmed New York’s powerful financial sector.
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