Trump Claims NYC Won't Survive Under Mamdani as Heated Mayoral Race Reaches Final Day

Zohran Mamdani has emerged as the front-runner in the NYC Mayoral election race.

New York City Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani claimed that US President Donald Trump feels "threatened" by his campaign after Trump warned voters about the city's "survival" being at risk if the Democratic nominee wins.

"Donald Trump is clearly threatened by our campaign. He's threatened because, like his, we've diagnosed the crisis facing working class New Yorkers - the cost of living," Mamdani stated during a CNN interview on election eve Monday.

"But unlike him, we're actually going to deliver solutions. This contrast is something he can't bear to witness. While he spends $300 million remodelling a White House ballroom, that same amount could provide SNAP benefits for 100,000 New Yorkers," he added, referencing the American food aid program currently affected by the government shutdown.

As New Yorkers headed to polls on Election Day Tuesday, Trump warned that the city would become a "complete and total economic and social disaster" and "would not survive" under Mamdani's leadership. The President officially endorsed former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor.

"If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!" Trump stated.

Mamdani responded that Trump is making it harder for Americans nationwide to afford groceries. "The money we're talking about is money that New York City is owed. It's not Donald Trump's to decide which city or state will get what money. This is what New Yorkers are owed, and this is what we're going to fight for," Mamdani insisted.

In his official endorsement, Trump urged voters to support Cuomo: "Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!"

Mamdani, 34, born in Uganda and raised in New York City, is a New York State Assembly member and democratic socialist. He will compete against independent candidate Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Trump criticized Mamdani's political philosophy, saying his principles "have been tested for over a thousand years, and never once have they been successful."

"I would much rather see a Democrat, who has had a Record of Success, WIN, than a Communist with no experience and a Record of COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE," Trump declared.

The President described Mamdani as a "nothing" in his role as an Assemblyman who "ranked at the bottom of the class" and claimed that as Mayor he "HAS NO CHANCE to bring it back to its former Glory!" Trump also warned, "A vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret!) is a vote for Mamdani."

Regarding Trump's endorsement of Cuomo, Mamdani remarked, "We've known since the Primary that Andrew Cuomo was funded by the same billionaires that gave us Donald Trump's second term... even until these final days, (Cuomo) denied that he was Donald Trump's preferred candidate."

"Now it's written out for the entire world to see. This is the man that Donald Trump wants to be the next mayor of New York City, not because he'll be good for New Yorkers but because he'll be good for Donald Trump. New Yorkers are exhausted of this agenda in Washington. They don't want to see a mimic of it come here to City Hall," Mamdani added, referring to the seat of New York City government.

Current New York City Mayor Eric Adams, whose administration has faced numerous scandals, dropped out of the mayoral race in September.

November 4 is election day across the US, with polls open from 6 am to 9 pm. The early voting period, which began October 25, concluded on Sunday.

Mamdani, son of renowned Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan author of Indian ancestry, defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor and was declared victorious in June.

The Board of Elections reported that more than 735,000 people voted early in this election, approximately four times the number of ballots cast during the 2021 elections.

As the front-runner in the NYC Mayoral race, Mamdani has promised to "lower costs and make life easier" for New Yorkers as the city becomes "too expensive." He has vowed that as Mayor, he will immediately freeze rent for all stabilized tenants and utilize every available resource to build housing New Yorkers need while reducing rents.