Republican US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that he would cut federal funding for New York City if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins Tuesday’s mayoral election, urging voters instead to back Andrew Cuomo.
If Mamdani wins the election, Trump said on Truth Social it was “highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required.”
Polls indicate that Mamdani is leading ahead of Cuomo, who is contesting as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Trump warned that voting for Sliwa would only benefit Mamdani and urged his supporters to rally behind Cuomo instead.
“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job,” Trump wrote.
Republicans have attacked Mamdani’s candidacy throughout the campaign, with Trump casting the self-described democratic socialist as a communist.
Mamdani, a Uganda-born state assembly member, shocked political observers on June 24 with a convincing victory in the primary.
Mamdani’s policies include hiking taxes on New York City’s wealthiest, raising the corporation tax rate, freezing stabilised apartment rental rates and increasing publicly subsidized housing.
His rise presents both risks and rewards for the national Democratic Party, which acknowledges the need to appeal to young voters but is wary of Republican attacks over Mamdani’s criticism of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and his Democratic socialism, which has worried New York’s finance community.
Trump has used the threats of federal funding cuts throughout his second term in office over climate initiatives, transgender policies, pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s war in Gaza and diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
With inputs from Reuters
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
