Trump’s 'best NYC mayor'? POTUS endorses Cuomo, says will stop federal funding if 'Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani' wins

Donald Trump waded deeper into New York City politics on Monday (Nov 3), throwing his support behind New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a move that stunned both parties. The endorsement came with a warning — if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins Tuesday’s mayoral race, Trump said he might withhold federal funds from his native city. "Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!"

Mamdani vs Trump

The POTUS's backing of Cuomo, a lifelong Democrat running as an independent, marks an unusual political twist. It puts Trump at odds not only with Mamdani, a progressive Democrat, but also with the Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, who has struggled to gain traction in the heavily Democratic city. Trump argued that a vote for Sliwa would only split the anti-Mamdani vote and hand victory to what he called the "communist candidate."

"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, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!," said the US President. He claimed that “It can only get worse with a Communist at the helm, and I don’t want to send, as President, good money after bad.”

Mamdani slams Trump's endorsement of Cuomo

Mamdani brushed off Trump’s intervention, calling it proof that Cuomo represents the old political class. Speaking at an event, the New York mayoral candidate said that "The MAGA movement's embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump's understanding that this would be the best mayor for him."

"They (Trump and Cuomo) share the same donors, they share the same small vision, they share the same sense of impunity," he noted.

What money is Trump talking about?

The federal government provides more than $7 billion to New York City annually — money that supports housing, healthcare, and public transit. Trump suggested he would reduce that funding “to the bare minimum required by law” if Mamdani wins.

It’s not the first time Trump has used federal dollars as leverage. Throughout his second term, he’s clashed with state and local governments over climate policies, transgender protections, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations.