WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that has escalated the already charged New York City mayoral race, President Donald Trump stated that it would be “hard for me” to provide federal funding to the city should Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani win the election. The President’s remarks, made in a recent interview, follow a consistent line of criticism targeting the progressive frontrunner just days before the election.
The “Communist” Claim and Funding Threat
Speaking on a Sunday broadcast of 60 Minutes, the President doubled down on his long-standing dismissal of the Democratic socialist candidate, repeatedly referring to Mamdani as a “communist” and “far worse than a socialist.”
When asked directly about funding New York City under a Mamdani administration, President Trump replied, “It’s gonna be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York. Because if you have a communist running New York, all you’re doing is wasting the money you’re sending there.”
This is not the first time the President has used the power of the federal purse as leverage against Democratic-run cities. New York City’s current operating budget relies on billions of federal dollars, making the threat a significant campaign issue.
An Endorsement of Sorts for Cuomo
The President’s animosity toward Mamdani translated into a reluctant, yet clear, preference for the candidate’s main rival, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary.
“I’m not a fan of Cuomo one way or the other,” the President stated, “but if it’s gonna be between a bad Democrat and a communist, I’m gonna pick the bad Democrat all the time, to be honest with you.”
Mamdani and Cuomo Fire Back
The frontrunner, Zohran Mamdani, who has campaigned on a platform of universal child care, a rent freeze, and free public transit, has repeatedly rejected the “communist” label, describing his policies as more akin to those of a “Scandinavian politician.”
Mamdani responded to the President’s threat on social media, implying that Trump’s support for Cuomo was a negative, sarcastically writing: “Congratulations, Andrew Cuomo. I know how hard you worked for this.” The Mamdani campaign asserts that the federal funding is “owed” to the city’s residents.
Meanwhile, Cuomo has previously alleged that President Trump wants Mamdani to win so he can “take over” New York City and “send tanks down Fifth Avenue.” The President vehemently dismissed this claim in the interview, calling it “so crazy.”
The mayoral election is set to take place on Tuesday, and with polls showing Mamdani in the lead, the race has become a national flashpoint, testing whether a progressive populist can prevail under the intense scrutiny and opposition from the White House.