PoliticselectionsPresidential Elections
Trump Endorses Cuomo in NYC Mayor Race, Opposes Mamdani
In a stunning political maneuver that's reshaped the final hours of New York City's mayoral race, former President Donald Trump threw his weight behind former Governor Andrew Cuomo, an independent candidate, while launching a scorched-earth opposition campaign against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, whom he repeatedly labeled a 'Communist' in a Truth Social post on the eve of the election. This endorsement is less an embrace of Cuomo and more a strategic rejection of Mamdani, a democratic socialist who holds a commanding lead in the polls.Trump's calculus is nakedly political; he framed the choice not as one between ideologies, but as a binary decision to prevent a candidate he deems unacceptable from leading the nation's largest city. 'A vote for [Republican candidate] Curtis Sliwa is a vote for Mamdani,' Trump declared, adding with a mix of resignation and command, 'Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice.You must vote for him. ' This isn't a full-throated endorsement but a tactical alliance born from desperation, a move reminiscent of political war rooms where the lesser of two perceived evils is weaponized against a common foe.The subtext is a direct threat to the city's coffers, a classic power play from Trump's political playbook. He explicitly stated on his '60 Minutes' interview that it would be 'highly unlikely' he would send federal funds to a Mamdani-led New York, crippling the city's ability to manage its budget and infrastructure, a move designed to scare moderate and conservative Democrats into Cuomo's column.The Mamdani campaign was ready for the gambit, having already pre-empted the endorsement with a social media graphic featuring Trump and Cuomo with the caption, 'Congratulations, Andrew Cuomo. I know how hard you worked for this,' a brilliantly sarcastic retort that paints Cuomo as Trump's chosen candidate.Cuomo, for his part, immediately pivoted to damage control, seizing on Trump's description of him as a 'bad Democrat' to reinforce his own party bona fides. 'No I'm a good Democrat.A proud Democrat,' Cuomo fired back on X, making a direct appeal to the Democratic base by vowing that under his watch, ICE and the National Guard would never encroach on the city's affairs, a clear attempt to create distance from the very president who just endorsed him. This three-way political theater—with Trump the puppet master, Cuomo the reluctant beneficiary, and Mamdani the progressive insurgent—highlights the deep fragmentation within the Democratic party and the potent, disruptive force of a Trump endorsement.The latest RealClearPolitics average, showing Mamdani at 46. 1%, Cuomo at 31.8%, and Sliwa at 16. 3%, illustrates the steep climb Cuomo faces.Trump's intervention is a high-risk, high-reward strategy. It could consolidate the anti-Mamdani vote, but it could also backfire spectacularly by energizing Mamdani's base and alienating the independent voters Cuomo needs.The flashback to their bitter clashes during the COVID pandemic, when Governor Cuomo was a daily fixture on television countering the White House's narrative, makes this alliance all the more surreal, a testament to the strange and fluid allegiances of modern American politics where yesterday's adversary is today's last best hope. This race has now become a national proxy war, a preview of the 2026 midterms where Republicans have already signaled they plan to 'weaponize' the specter of a Mamdani-like figure in races across the country. The outcome will not only determine the leadership of New York City but will also send a seismic signal about the enduring power of Trump's endorsements and the resilience of the progressive wing within the Democratic party.
#featured
#Donald Trump
#Andrew Cuomo
#Zohran Mamdani
#NYC mayor race
#endorsement
#election eve
