On Tuesday, President Donald Trump stated his belief that New York City might soon elect a “communist” mayor and indicated he’d rather see a Democrat in charge at City Hall than a far-left candidate.
During a White House press briefing, when asked if he would urge Republican Curtis Sliwa to withdraw from the race, Trump refrained from endorsing anyone but expressed his concern regarding current polling figures with only two weeks remaining until Election Day.
“Well, after reviewing the polls, it appears we’re going to have a communist as the mayor of New York,” Trump remarked. “It’ll be quite interesting. But the positive aspect is that he has to go through the White House; everything is subject to White House approval. At least under this administration, it is.”
Trump seemed to imply that if Sliwa withdrew, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo might narrow the gap with Democratic socialist nominee Zohran Mamdani, though he wasn’t optimistic it would alter the result.
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“If he [Sliwa] drops out, he has no chance of winning. And things don’t look promising for Cuomo either,” Trump commented. “Perhaps if he withdrew, Cuomo would stand a slightly better chance. But not by much. Because it seems the lead is—while not overwhelming, it’s substantial enough that he should be able to secure the win.”
When questioned about his willingness to meet with Mamdani if he wins, Trump confirmed he would.
“Yes, I’ll engage with him,” the president affirmed. “I believe it’s my duty to engage with him.”
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Nevertheless, Trump voiced his concern over what he perceives as the city’s decline under progressive leadership.
“I have a deep affection for New York. I’ve always cherished it. I find it hard to believe that something like this is unfolding,” he expressed. “I departed New York, and we had a mayor, [Bill] de Blasio, who proved to be a failure… New York was once a vibrant city. And now it’s — it’s disheartening to witness its current state, to be honest.”
“With a communist at the helm… just consider history. This scenario has played out repeatedly over thousands of years. It has never succeeded. So it’s unlikely to succeed now.”
Mamdani, a state assemblyman and a longtime member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has supported proposals to legalize prostitution and impose taxes on the wealthy.
His campaign has garnered endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and other prominent progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
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The city’s mayoral election is scheduled for Nov. 4.
The Cuomo, Mamdani, and Sliwa campaigns have yet to respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
