Daijiworld Media Network – New York
New York, Nov 4: Indian-origin New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has fired back at US President Donald Trump after the latter warned that federal funds to the city could be cut if Mamdani wins the upcoming election. Calling Trump “threatened” by his campaign, the 34-year-old politician said the president’s remarks reflect fear over a people-powered movement focused on easing the cost-of-living crisis faced by working-class New Yorkers.
Speaking to CNN, Mamdani said, “You can clearly see that Donald Trump is threatened by our campaign. He’s threatened because, like his, we’ve diagnosed the crisis in working-class New Yorkers’ lives — the cost of living. But unlike him, we’re actually going to deliver on that.”
Taking a swipe at Trump’s spending priorities, Mamdani added, “While he’s spending USD 300 million remodelling a White House ballroom, that same amount could provide SNAP benefits for 100,000 New Yorkers.”
Trump, in a lengthy post on Truth Social, had earlier stated that if “Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani” wins the mayoral election, he would withhold most federal funds from New York, claiming the city would face “complete and total disaster” under Mamdani’s leadership. He also publicly endorsed former New York governor Andrew Cuomo for the post.
Reacting sharply, Mamdani asserted that federal funds are not Trump’s to distribute at will. “This is money New York City is owed. It’s not Donald Trump’s decision which city or state gets what. We’re going to fight for what belongs to New Yorkers,” he said.
Commenting on Trump’s endorsement of Cuomo, Mamdani remarked, “We’ve known since the primary that Andrew Cuomo was funded by the same billionaires who gave us Donald Trump’s second term. Now it’s written out for the entire world to see. Trump wants Cuomo because he’ll be good for him, not for New Yorkers — and the people are tired of this agenda.”
The heated exchange has added a new twist to the New York mayoral race, with Mamdani positioning himself as a grassroots challenger taking on both political and corporate power structures.