Cuomo’s Remarks on Trump and Mamdani
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made headlines during an interview on “The View,” asserting that Zoran Mamdani, President Trump’s opposing candidate, would be a “gift.” This comment came after co-host Joy Behar pressed Cuomo, who is now running for mayor as an independent, to address Mamdani’s claims of collaboration with Trump. Mamdani had previously appeared on the show.
Cuomo stated, “I am the last person President Trump wants to be New York City mayor.” He recalled their tense interactions, saying, “He treated me as governor, so New Yorkers would watch movies every day. I was the governor and he was the president. We fought every day.”
Mamdani’s Policies Questioned
When prompted by Behar about Trump’s intentions regarding Mamdani, Cuomo expressed his belief that Mamdani represents an opportunity for Trump. “The Mamdani is a gift for him – a gift,” he commented. Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin echoed this sentiment, noting that Trump is not fond of the former governor.
Cuomo elaborated that Trump sees Mamdani as a means to portray Democrats negatively, saying, “He wants Mamdani for two reasons. One is entering the mid-term, taking pictures of Mamdani, traversing the country, saying, ‘Here’s what happened to Democrats. They’re communists. They hate the police, they want to legalize prostitution, legalize drugs, and elect this Democrat.’”
The Stakes in the Mayoral Race
Cuomo further argued that a victory for Mamdani would enable Trump to exert influence over New York City, saying, “That’s an excuse he needs to take over New York. He said he’ll do so… to protect the good people in New York. That’s going to happen.”
In a previous appearance on the show, Mamdani, identifying as a democratic socialist, denied being a “communist.”
Questions of Accountability
During the discussion, Griffin asked Mamdani about his past comments regarding the police and whether he had apologized to the NYPD. Mamdani responded, “They’re not consultants to my ears, so I feel safe. I think this is another part. Being a young person trying to lead is also about leaving the opening for growth and understanding.” He added that he was taking individual conversations with police officers seriously.
