Trump Endorses Cuomo: 'You Really Have No Choice'

NEW YORK — President Donald Trump endorsed former governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s election for New York City mayor, framing Cuomo as the only alternative to progressive newcomer Zohran Mamdani.

“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 wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Cuomo, 67, is trying to make his return to political office after resigning as governor four years ago following a barrage of sexual harassment accusations that he denies. A Democrat running as an independent, he's shifted to wooing Republican voters to bolster his centrist base, pitching himself as the only candidate who can stop Mamdani.

Mamdani, a state assemblymember who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor, beat Cuomo in the primary with an energetic campaign focused on making the city a more affordable place to live.

Curtis Sliwa, the red beret-wearing creator of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group, is the Republican mayoral candidate.

Trump, a former New York resident of note, has loomed over the race for months. The Republican president has threatened to arrest Mamdani, deport him and take over the city if he wins.

“We must also remember this — A vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret!) is a vote for Mamdani,” Trump wrote. “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!”

Trump, in his endorsement, threatened to withhold federal funds from the city “other than the very minimum as required” should Mamdani win.

Cuomo was not asked directly about the president's tacit endorsement during an interview Monday evening on WABC Radio but expressed agreement with Trump's comments.

“The president is right. A vote for Sliwa is a vote for Mamdani. And that’s why this election is now up to the Republicans," Cuomo said.

More than 735,000 votes were cast during the city’s nine days of early, in-person voting — more than four times the number of ballots cast during the only other mayor's race to allow early voting, in 2021.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.