President Donald Trump has publicly criticized New York Governor Kathy Hochul for endorsing Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, suggesting that the city could face funding repercussions as a result.
Taking to his platform, Truth Social, Trump expressed surprise and disapproval over the governor’s decision. He referred to Mamdani as a “Communist” and warned that Washington would be closely monitoring the situation. Trump wrote:
“Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has endorsed the ‘Liddle’ Communist, Zohran Mamdani, running for Mayor of New York. This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City. How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!”
A native New Yorker, Trump has shown strong interest in the mayoral race and has been an outspoken critic of Mamdani. During an appearance on Fox and Friends, he suggested ways the federal government could influence the outcome, even hinting that former Governor Andrew Cuomo could still gain an advantage if certain candidates dropped out.
Trump’s aides had reportedly approached current Mayor Eric Adams with potential federal positions, including an ambassador role, to encourage him to step aside. Such a move could consolidate opposition support against Mamdani, who won the Democratic primary in June by a wide margin.
Governor Hochul’s endorsement of Mamdani reflects a broader Democratic effort to unite against Trump. In her column for The New York Times, Hochul emphasized the need for city leadership that stands up to the former president:
“Families cannot wait another year, another month, another election cycle. They need urgent action now. Since taking office in January, Mr. Trump has killed jobs and dragged down our economy with tariff tax hikes that make life more expensive for working families… New York needs leaders who will put aside differences, stand up and fight back against Mr. Trump.”
Although Hochul did not address Mamdani’s tax proposals directly, she did highlight the importance of tackling rising antisemitism, noting Mamdani’s engagement with Jewish leaders in the city.
Hochul’s move has intensified pressure on other Democratic figures, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who have yet to endorse a candidate. Meanwhile, progressive leaders such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders have actively campaigned with Mamdani, urging broader Democratic support.
Ocasio-Cortez questioned party unity, stating:
“Are we a party who rallies behind our nominee or not? I am very concerned about the example that is being set by anybody in our party. If an individual doesn’t want to support the party’s nominee now, it complicates their ability to ask voters to support any nominee later.”
With Hochul’s endorsement now public, the New York City mayoral race is drawing even more national attention, highlighting the growing tensions between local Democratic leaders and the Trump-aligned faction.
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