Trump Calls Mamdani a ‘Communist,’ Warns of Funding Cuts as NYC Vote Nears

President Donald Trump unleashed a blistering attack on Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani, branding the 34-year-old Indian-origin assemblyman a "Communist" whose victory would trigger a "complete and total economic and social disaster" for his hometown. In a fiery Truth Social post, the Queens-born leader vowed to slash federal funding to the bare minimum if Mamdani wins Tuesday's vote, arguing that socialist policies have failed for "over a thousand years" and would doom the city to collapse. Trump, who has repeatedly invoked New York as his "beloved first home," framed the stakes as existential, insisting that under Mamdani, "this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival."

In a surprising pivot, Trump endorsed independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo—despite their history of bitter clashes—urging voters to back the Democrat-turned-independent over Mamdani, whom he derided as having a "Record of COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE" as an assemblyman. Trump dismissed Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa as a non-starter, quipping that a vote for the beret-wearing Guardian Angels founder "is a vote for Mamdani" and that Sliwa would "look much better without the beret." This lukewarm support for Cuomo, whom Trump once feuded with over COVID-19 responses, echoes his weekend "60 Minutes" interview where he admitted preferring a "bad Democrat" to a "Communist."

Cuomo quickly downplayed the endorsement during a Manhattan news conference, insisting Trump was merely "opposing Mamdani" rather than truly backing him, and reiterated his past stance that he would reject any Trump support. Mamdani, a democratic socialist leading polls by 10-20 points, seized on the moment to rally supporters, calling it a "betrayal" of Democratic voters and accusing Cuomo and Trump of conspiring to "rig" the race. He highlighted his progressive platform on housing and policing, while early voting turnout surged over 20% from the last cycle, skewing younger—a demographic edge for the Queens native.

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Trump's intervention arrives amid sagging approval ratings since his January inauguration, though he notched gains in the 2024 presidential race across NYC boroughs—from 16% to 27% in the Bronx and 22% to 38% in Queens. Yet both Mamdani and Cuomo have campaigned against Trump's policies, with the Democratic nominee blasting the "MAGA movement’s embrace" of his rival as proof of elite panic. Elon Musk piled on via X, echoing Trump's call to "VOTE CUOMO" and misspelling Mamdani's name as "Mumdumi," further energizing the bizarre cross-party dynamics.

As polls close Tuesday, Trump's threats over the city's $7.4 billion in federal aid hang heavy, testing his sway in a blue stronghold he lost decisively in past runs. With Sliwa mired in low teens and the race tightening amid record early votes, the endorsement could either galvanize anti-Trump turnout or peel off moderates fearing funding cuts—potentially reshaping governance for America's largest city.

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