On the eve of New York City's mayoral election, President Trump made a surprise move by endorsing independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, the former Democratic governor, over both the Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Trump, who has spent weeks signaling his preference for Cuomo, officially declared his support on social media, warning that Mamdani—a democratic socialist—would bring "complete and total economic and social disaster" to the city, per the New York Times.
Trump also threatened to restrict federal funding to New York if Mamdani wins, promising only the "minimum as required," and argued that Cuomo, despite being a Democrat, has a track record of success, unlike Mamdani, whom he called a "communist with no experience." Trump urged New Yorkers to rally behind Cuomo, arguing that a vote for Sliwa, whom he mocked for his trademark red beret, would only help Mamdani. The Guardian notes that the president "does not directly determine how much money any city receives from the federal government; appropriation is the constitutional function of Congress."
Still, Cuomo quickly echoed Trump's message, insisting that Sliwa's continued presence in the race splits the opposition and could tip the election to Mamdani. Sliwa, for his part, downplayed the endorsement, noting that "it's really the people, the people's opinion, which motivates me." Mamdani, meanwhile, anticipating Trump's move, used the endorsement to reinforce his message that Cuomo is aligned with Trump and wealthy donors. Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec called Trump's backing "the nail in the coffin" for Cuomo. Speaking in Queens, Mamdani argued that the endorsement exposed Cuomo as "not the best mayor for New York City, not the best mayor for New Yorkers, but the best mayor for Donald Trump and his administration."
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