Former President Donald Trump announced his endorsement of Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s mayoral race in a Monday night post on Truth Social. In his message, Trump warned of dire consequences if “Communist Candidate” Zohran Mamdani were to win, painting a bleak picture of the city’s future and threatening to withhold all but the “very minimum” of federal funding required by law.
Trump wrote:
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! It can only get worse with a Communist at the helm, and I don’t want to send, as President, good money after bad.It is my obligation to run the Nation, and it is my strong conviction that New York City will be a Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster should Mamdani win. His principles have been tested for over a thousand years, and never once have they been successful. I would much rather see a Democrat, who has had a Record of Success, WIN, than a Communist with no experience and a Record of COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. He was nothing as an Assemblyman, ranked at the bottom of the class and, as Mayor of potentially, again, the Greatest City in the World, HE HAS NO CHANCE to bring it back to its former Glory!
He warned that a vote for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, whom he noted “looks much better without the beret!,” is a vote for Mamdani. “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 concluded, “He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”
Cuomo was unimpressed by the last minute endorsement. He told reporters, “President Trump doesn’t support me, he opposes Mamdani. He believes that Mamdani is an existential threat to New York. … He believes he’ll bankrupt New York, so he opposes Mamdani.” True.
Cuomo argued that Trump’s comments could backfire with New York voters. He noted that, “Now, the president calls him a communist, New Yorkers call him a socialist, but that turns off a lot of New Yorkers.”
Mamdani also responded to Trump’s endorsement. He said, “The MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this would be the best mayor for him. Not the best mayor for New York City, not the best mayor for New Yorkers, but the best mayor for Donald Trump and his administration.”
He continued, “I did not, however, anticipate Andrew Cuomo going from being Donald Trump’s puppet to being so nakedly his parrot.” That characterization is untethered to the facts. Cuomo has been one of Trump’s biggest critics.
Regarding Trump’s threat to withhold federal funding from the city if he wins, the socialist candidate said, “It is not the law. And too often we treat everything that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth as if it is already legal, just by virtue of who is saying it.”
He also accused Cuomo of “being funded by the same billionaire donors that gave us Donald Trump’s second term.”
Elon Musk also endorsed Cuomo on Monday, describing Mamdani as a “charismatic swindler.” In response, Mamdani said Trump and Musk’s support for his opponent shows “they know we will accomplish everything we’ve run on.”
Let’s hope not.
Polls released over the past week show Cuomo narrowing the gap, but not by enough to suggest he can overtake Mamdani, who remains the clear favorite in the race.
Update 9:30: Look who refuses to endorse Mamdani.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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