Trump Threatens to Cut New York City Funding After Gov. Hochul Endorses Mamdani for Mayor

In his latest threat against a political opponent, President Donald Trump criticized New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to endorse Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City. He warned that if Mamdani is elected, he would withhold federal funding from the state.

Trump and Mamdani have traded attacks in recent months. Their public conflict began in June when Trump called Mamdani a communist and claimed New York City would become a communist city if he were elected in the upcoming November election.

On Monday, Trump intensified his comments, calling Hochul's endorsement a rather shocking development and a very bad one for New York City.

"How can such a thing happen?" he wrote in a post in his Truth Social account. "Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad."

Trump's remarks came just hours after Hochul endorsed Mamdani despite acknowledging disagreements with him on policy.

"The question of who will be the next mayor is one I take extremely seriously and to which I have devoted a great deal of thought," Hochul wrote in a New York Times opinion piece published on Sept. 14. "Tonight I am endorsing Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani."

In her column, Hochul said that in her conversations with Mamdani, they shared a common commitment to a safer New York. She cited their agreement on creating neighborhoods where children can grow up safely, ensuring strong leadership at the NYPD, and urgently addressing the rise in antisemitism across the five boroughs.

This is not the first time Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to New York City if Mamdani is elected. In a June interview with Fox News, Trump said the idea of Mamdani winning was inconceivable and again described him as a pure communist.

"Let's say this. If he does get in, I'm going to be president, and he's going to have to do the right thing or they are not getting any money. He's got to do the right thing or they are not getting any money," Trump said, as reported by The Guardian.

According to the New York City comptroller, the city receives more than 100 billion dollars annually in federal support through various agencies and programs, as reported by The Guardian.

Following Hochul's endorsement, Mamdani issued a statement thanking the governor for her support and expressing optimism about working together.

"I'm grateful to the governor for her support in unifying our party, as well as the work she has done standing up to President Trump, securing free school meals for our kids, and expanding access to child care," Mamdani said in a statement, according to the New York Post.

Hochul's endorsement could mark a turning point for the Democratic Party in New York. As reported by the Post, other influential leaders in the state, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn, may also announce their support for Mamdani in the coming weeks.

"This puts tremendous pressure on Jeffries and everyone who hasn't endorsed Mamdani yet," one source said. "Hochul is the ultimate bellwether for where the center of the New York Democratic Party stands. She has shown she will push back against the left when needed, but this shifts the center of gravity in a clear direction. Now we will watch to see what else she brings into her orbit and who gets left behind," Democratic Party insiders told the Post.