President Donald Trump on Monday urged New York City voters to support former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday’s mayoral election, labeling Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani a “communist” and warning of catastrophic consequences if he wins.

In a Truth Social post, Trump stated, “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… It can only get worse with a Communist at the helm.” He criticized Mamdani’s policies, asserting, “His principles have been tested for over a thousand years, and never once have they been successful.”

Trump framed his support for Cuomo as a pragmatic choice, declaring, “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.” He also accused Mamdani of being unqualified, noting, “He was nothing as an Assemblyman, ranked at the bottom of the class…”

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, responded to Trump’s endorsement by mocking the former president’s backing. Meanwhile, Trump reiterated his stance on “60 Minutes,” stating, “If you have a communist running New York, all you’re doing is wasting the money you’re sending there.” He described Cuomo as the “lesser of two evils” compared to Mamdani.

Polls indicate Cuomo has narrowed Mamdani’s lead, with the Democratic socialist holding 43.9% support versus Cuomo’s 39.4%. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa trails with 15.5%. Early voting saw a record turnout, with over 735,000 New Yorkers casting ballots during the nine-day period—more than four times the 2021 mayoral election total. Voters aged 55-82 showed particularly high participation, potentially benefiting Cuomo’s bid.