Former President Donald Trump has publicly stated that he might deny New York City more than the minimum federal funding if progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the upcoming municipal election.
Trump endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who is now running as an independent — directly urging voters not to support Mamdani, whom he called a “communist.” In a post on his social media platform, Trump said, “A vote for Curtis Sliwa… is a vote for Mamdani,” signaling that he would prefer Cuomo over both opponents.
He said, “It is very unlikely that I will contribute federal funds, other than the minimum required,” if Mamdani becomes mayor. The former president, who grew up in Queens and still owns properties in New York, described that it was “difficult for me…to give a lot of money to New York” under Mamdani’s leadership.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old lawmaker who would become the city’s first Muslim mayor and youngest in more than a century if elected, rejected the “communist” label and said Trump’s remarks amounted to a threat — not supported in law — to limit funding.
Cuomo, meanwhile, presented his candidacy as the only experienced option capable of dealing with the federal government. He recalled his fights with Trump during the pandemic, saying: “When I’m fighting for New York, I’m not going to stop. »
The implications of Trump’s remarks extend beyond this mayoral race: They reflect broader patterns in his political strategy of tying federal funding decisions to state and local governments based on political alignment, raising concerns about the interplay of fiscal policy and partisan considerations.
