Trump backs Cuomo, threatens to chop funds for New York Metropolis if Mamdani wins mayoral race

Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani’s insurance policies embrace climbing taxes on New York Metropolis’s wealthiest, elevating the company tax charge, freezing stabilized condo rental charges, and rising publicly backed housing

WASHINGTON, USA – US President Donald Trump endorsed former New York governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor of New York Metropolis on Monday and threatened to carry again federal funds to the town if Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the mayoral election on Tuesday.

Trump, a Republican who has supplied frequent commentary on the New York mayoral election, injected himself additional into the race by crossing celebration traces to help Cuomo over Mamdani and the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, who trails badly in public opinion polls within the closely Democratic metropolis.

Cuomo, a longtime stalwart within the Democratic Social gathering, is operating as an unbiased after dropping to Mamdani within the Democratic main.

Tuesday’s New York Metropolis election has been carefully watched nationally as one that would assist form the picture of the Democratic Social gathering because it seeks its id in opposition to Trump. Mamdani, 34, a self-described democratic socialist who’s main Cuomo within the polls, has energized youthful and extra progressive voters, however he has additionally alarmed extra average Democrats who concern a shift too far to the left might backfire.

Republicans have attacked Mamdani’s candidacy all through the marketing campaign, with Trump casting him as a communist.

“Whether or not you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you actually haven’t any alternative. It’s essential to vote for him, and hope he does a improbable job. He’s able to it, Mamdani is just not!” Trump wrote on his Fact Social platform.

Trump stated a vote for Sliwa would solely assist Mamdani.

“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York Metropolis, it’s extremely unlikely that I can be contributing Federal Funds, apart from the very minimal as required, to my beloved first dwelling,” stated Trump, a local New Yorker.

The US federal authorities is offering $7.4 billion to New York Metropolis in fiscal 12 months 2026, or about 6.4% of the town’s whole spending, in keeping with a report from the New York State Comptroller.

Trump has threatened federal funding cuts all through his second time period in workplace over local weather initiatives, transgender insurance policies, pro-Palestinian protests towards Israel’s struggle in Gaza and variety, fairness and inclusion practices.

Mamdani, a Uganda-born state meeting member, shocked political observers on June 24 with a convincing victory within the main.

Mamdani has used his marketing campaign to rally New Yorkers towards institution candidates like Cuomo, who was elected governor of New York thrice however resigned in 2021 following a report from the New York Lawyer Common that concluded he had sexually harassed 11 ladies, together with state staff. A US Justice Division investigation later concluded Cuomo subjected not less than 13 feminine state staff to a “sexually hostile work atmosphere.”

“The MAGA motion’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo is reflective of Donald Trump’s understanding that this might be the perfect mayor for him,” Mamdani stated at a marketing campaign occasion following Trump’s endorsement of Cuomo.

“They (Trump and Cuomo) share the identical donors, they share the identical small imaginative and prescient, they share the identical sense of impunity,” Mamdani stated.

Mamdani’s insurance policies embrace climbing taxes on New York Metropolis’s wealthiest, elevating the company tax charge, freezing stabilized condo rental charges, and rising publicly backed housing.

His rise presents each dangers and rewards for the nationwide Democratic Social gathering, which acknowledges the necessity to enchantment to younger voters however is cautious of Republican assaults over Mamdani’s criticism of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and his democratic socialism, which has involved New York’s finance neighborhood. – Rappler.com