WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York City, warning he would withhold federal funds if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins Tuesday’s election.
Trump’s surprise endorsement of Cuomo — a Democrat running as an independent — marks a rare cross-party move that has injected new drama into a tightly contested race. He dismissed the Republican contender Curtis Sliwa, urging voters instead to “vote Cuomo” to stop Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist who leads in the polls.
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“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!”
The president further warned that a Mamdani victory could cost New York federal funding. “If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins… it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home,” Trump said. The US federal government provides about $7.4 billion to New York City annually — roughly 6.4% of its total budget.
At his final campaign rally, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani urged New Yorkers to stand up to bullies, specifically referencing President Trump’s threat to restrict federal funds for the city if Mamdani wins the election https://t.co/5XoRwIj0Sf pic.twitter.com/UYa5VgJoJo
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 4, 2025
Mamdani, a Uganda-born state assembly member who stunned observers by defeating Cuomo in the Democratic primary, fired back at Trump’s remarks. “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 at a campaign event. “They share the same donors, the same small vision, and the same sense of impunity.”
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Cuomo, who served three terms as governor before resigning in 2021 over sexual harassment allegations, has tried to revive his political career by positioning himself as a centrist alternative. Meanwhile, Mamdani’s campaign has rallied progressive and younger voters with pledges to raise taxes on the wealthy, freeze rent increases, and expand public housing — policies that have unsettled Wall Street and moderate Democrats.