As votes for a new mayor for New York City are yet to be counted, the US President Donald Trump has threatened voters that, as president, he does not wish to spend more of the federal funds in New York if a communist becomes mayor, as he wishes not to throw good money after bad.
His remarks, made on the eve of the city’s highly anticipated mayoral election, were directed at candidate Zohran Mamdani, whom he described as a communist, warning that a victory for Mamdani would result in limited federal assistance for the city.
Trump’s comments, made on Truth Social and reiterated during his CBS interview, suggested that New York under Mamdani would not deserve federal support, even though the allocation of such funds constitutionally falls within the jurisdiction of Congress.
The statement added to the growing debate over presidential control in fiscal decisions, as the withholding of appropriated funds is legally restricted under federal law.
Even before the votes were cast, the Trump administration had begun to make moves consistent with his warning, having clashed earlier with state officials over New York’s congestion pricing policy.
The White House recently withheld $18 billion earmarked for a tunnel project, while a federal judge ordered the government to restore $34 million in counterterrorism funding after ruling that its withdrawal had violated the law.
Trump appeared to distance himself from Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, calling a vote for him a wasted vote, while signalling a preference for independent candidate and former governor Andrew Cuomo, whom he regarded as a more capable figure to lead the city.
Cuomo, who contested as an independent to avoid the Democratic primary, appeared to reciprocate Trump’s remarks in a radio appearance, urging Republicans to follow the president’s line, even as he later spoke of the need for a mayor who could stand up to Trump’s influence.
Mamdani, responding to the president’s statements at a campaign event in Queens, denounced the comments as an unlawful attempt to intimidate voters and asserted that federal funding was a constitutional entitlement rather than a personal gift from the president. He criticised the alignment between Trump and Cuomo, describing it as a partnership that would benefit the Trump administration rather than New Yorkers.
As per the final Atlas Intel poll conducted before the election, Mamdani was leading with 41 per cent support, followed by Cuomo with 34 per cent and Sliwa with 24 per cent, suggesting a strong likelihood of Mamdani’s victory despite the presidential threat.