Former Governor Andrew Cuomo asserted on Thursday that the election of Zoolan Mamdani as mayor could pave the way for President Trump to assert control over New York City.
During an event in Harlem, where a woman had recently been killed by a stray bullet, Cuomo described Mamdani’s policies as potentially “literally dangerous” for city safety.
“If Mamdani becomes mayor, it’ll be like having Trump in charge,” he stated, declaring his candidacy for the November election after previously endorsing Mamdani in the Democratic primary.
Cuomo suggested that Mamdani’s approach to crime would provide Trump with justification to deploy federal forces, similar to what he did in Washington, D.C.
“I don’t think he’d wait,” Cuomo cautioned. “If Mamdani wins, it’s not far-fetched to imagine Trump taking action immediately.”
Cuomo claimed that had he remained in office, Trump would have had no reason to send federal troops to the city, arguing, “There would be no rationale at all for that.”
Despite his concerns about Mamdani’s views on public safety, Cuomo deflected responsibility for the 2019 bail reforms he signed into law.
He accused the judicial system of not allowing judges to detain individuals deemed dangerous.
“I wanted to include that initial law—judicial discretion concerning danger—but Congress disagreed back then,” he noted.
Cuomo’s remarks about the perceived ineffectiveness of his fellow Democrats coincided with Trump’s recent executive order aiming to end cashless bail, a key reform Cuomo had previously implemented.
This order threatened to withhold federal funding from areas that “substantially eliminated” cash bail, potentially allowing more crimes to occur.
In reaction to Trump’s order, Governor Kathy Hochul maintained that New York does not practice cashless bail, as serious crimes still require bail, while reforms mainly address misdemeanors and non-violent offenses.
Cuomo had mostly refrained from commenting on Trump’s executive action until Wednesday, stating, “There is no cashless bail.”
His statement starkly contrasts with past state proposals in 2019, which indicated Cuomo was moving towards legislation to abolish cash bail entirely.
This earlier initiative asked judges to evaluate if a defendant poses a “current threat.”
Cuomo contended he always wanted that “judicial discretion” and mentioned that adjustments to the reform had been made over the years.
The former governor’s criticisms of Mamdani unfolded as he marched on Wall Street, protesting the Trump administration alongside Pastor Al Sharpton.
A spokesperson for Mamdani’s campaign highlighted that Sharpton had criticized Cuomo and Eric Adams in March for their absence from similar protests.
