Trump Threatens to Cut NYC Funding Over Mayoral Race

On the day of the New York City mayoral election, November 4, US President Donald Trump issued a direct appeal and a threat. The President announced that if the Democratic Party candidate, Zohran Mamdani, wins the election, the White House will likely not allocate federal funds to the city, except for the minimum required by law.

Against this backdrop, Trump urged New Yorkers to support the candidacy of former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary and is now continuing the fight as an independent candidate. "Whether you like Andrew Cuomo or not, you don't really have a choice. You have to vote for him," Trump wrote, effectively presenting an ultimatum to the city's voters.

Poll results released ahead of the election show that Zohran Mamdani is ahead of both Andrew Cuomo and the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa. It is this circumstance that has likely prompted Trump's harsh intervention.

Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani responded quickly and sharply to the President's statement, drawing parallels between his two opponents. "Trump and Cuomo have the same donors, the same narrow vision, and the same sense of impunity," he declared, trying to emphasize that Cuomo's and Trump's interests coincide.

It should be noted that this is not the first clash between Trump and Mamdani. The President had previously called Mamdani a "communist lunatic" and a "disaster waiting to happen." In response, the Democratic candidate had stated at the time that for the good of the city, he would try to cooperate with Trump but would not allow himself to be intimidated. The President's current move turns the New York City mayoral election into not just a local but a national event, transforming it into a direct confrontation between the progressive wing of the Democrats and the White House.