Trump Shares Concerns Over NYC Mayoral Race

On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump expressed his fears that New York City might soon elect a “communist” as mayor. He suggested it might be preferable for a more mainstream Democrat to lead City Hall, rather than a far-left candidate.

During a White House press briefing, when asked if he would advise Republican Curtis Sliwa to withdraw from the race, Trump stopped short of offering an endorsement but did voice concerns about the current polling data, with Election Day just two weeks away. “I looked at the polls, and it looks like a communist is going to be mayor of New York,” he remarked. “It’s going to be very interesting. But here’s the good news: He has to go through the White House; everything has to go through the White House. At least in this White House, it will.”

Trump hinted that if Sliwa stepped aside, it might allow former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to narrow the gap with Democratic Socialist candidate Zoran Mamdani, but he seemed skeptical about whether that would actually change the election’s outcome.

“If he [Sliwa] dropped out, he’s not going to win. It doesn’t look very good for Mr. Cuomo either,” Trump said. “Maybe if Mr. Cuomo resigns, there’s a little bit of a chance.” He added that while the lead isn’t massive, it’s still sufficient enough for Mamdani to win.

When inquired whether he would be willing to meet with Mamdani if he were elected, Trump confirmed he would. “Yes, I’ll talk to him,” he stated. “I think I have a duty to talk to him.”

Trump also lamented the decline of cities under progressive leadership, saying, “I love New York. I’ve always loved New York. I can’t believe this is happening.” Reflecting on his time as mayor, he added, “[Bill] De Blasio was miserable…New York was a hot city. Now, looking at what’s going on, it’s frankly sad.”

He warned, “When the communists are in charge… you know, you just go back a thousand years. It’s been tried multiple times over a thousand years—it never worked, and it doesn’t work now.”

Mamdani, a state lawmaker and prominent DSA member, has pushed for legalizing prostitution and increasing taxes on the wealthy. He has received backing from national progressives such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The mayoral election in New York City is set for November 4th, and responses from the campaigns of Cuomo, Mamdani, and Sliwa were not immediately available.