Cuomo Warns Mamdani NYC Win Could Enable Trump Takeover

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, now an independent candidate for New York City mayor, argues that President Donald Trump prefers the Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani to win the November election. Cuomo claims that a Mamdani victory would serve as a political advantage for Trump, who could use Mamdani's perceived far-left platform to galvanize Republican support ahead of the 2026 midterms. Cuomo also warns that such a win would provide Trump with a pretext to intervene and potentially take over New York City, a move Trump has hinted at publicly. Trump has criticized Mamdani as a "communist" and threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani is elected. Cuomo emphasizes that Trump sees him as an adversary due to their past confrontations during his governorship and considers Mamdani a political "gift" to Trump. The mayoral race dynamic shifted recently after incumbent Mayor Eric Adams withdrew, which Cuomo praised as a selfless act to consolidate anti-Mamdani votes.