New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, a far-left Democrat and self-described socialist, accused former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and President Donald Trump of conspiring to influence the outcome of the upcoming general election. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Mamdani pointed to a New York Times report claiming Trump spoke with Cuomo and is weighing which candidate has the best chance to beat Mamdani in November.
Mamdani, who defeated Cuomo in the June Democratic primary, alleged that Trump is “actively involved” in the race and described Cuomo’s engagement with the former president as “disqualifying.” He claimed that Trump effectively has three candidates: Cuomo, whom he allegedly contacted; Mayor Eric Adams, whom Trump “bailed out of legal trouble”; and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani told reporters, “New Yorkers do not want a mayor who is working in tandem with the president to subvert the will of the people.” He declared himself “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare” and emphasized his plan to tax the wealthy to fund left-wing proposals like free public transit and tuition-free college.
Cuomo quickly dismissed the claims in a social media post, accusing Mamdani of pushing unrealistic policies. “Donald Trump would go through you like a hot knife through butter,” Cuomo wrote. “You would be a dream come true to the Republican party.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital that Trump “has no intention of getting involved or making an endorsement in the New York City mayoral race.” Despite that, the accusations have stirred intra-party tensions among New York Democrats.
Rep. Jerry Nadler weighed in to support Mamdani, calling his primary win a mandate to tackle the city’s affordability crisis. However, Mamdani’s platform has sparked backlash from centrist Democrats concerned about the fiscal and political implications of his policies.
Polls currently show Mamdani leading Cuomo, Adams, and Sliwa ahead of the November 4 general election, though growing friction within the Democratic Party could shift the race in the final months.
