Rudy Giuliani Endorses Curtis Sliwa for NYC Mayor, Slams Cuomo and Socialist Mamdani
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani officially endorsed Republican Curtis Sliwa for mayor on Monday, taking direct aim at both former Governor Andrew Cuomo and socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani in the process.
“Here’s my choice: 100 percent Curtis Sliwa,” Giuliani declared on his X podcast, as Sliwa sat beside him. The endorsement gives Sliwa a key boost from one of the most recognizable names in city politics, and a direct rebuke to Cuomo’s hopes of peeling off Republican and conservative-leaning voters in a three-way general election.
Giuliani didn’t hold back. He mocked Cuomo for losing the Democratic primary to 33-year-old Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, calling Cuomo’s campaign “terrible” and reminding listeners that the ex-governor “resigned in disgrace” over multiple sexual misconduct allegations. Cuomo denies the claims.
Giuliani also blamed Cuomo for a string of high-profile controversies, including his COVID-era nursing home order that led to thousands of deaths, bail reform policies that critics say have fueled crime, and Parole Board decisions that have freed over 40 convicted cop killers in recent years.
“The guy who passed these laws is Andrew Cuomo,” Giuliani said bluntly, pinning the consequences squarely on the former governor.
He then turned his fire on Mamdani, calling him an “avowed communist” and accusing him of supporting radical ideology.
“He prefers Islamic extremism over America. He prefers Marxist communism over America,” Giuliani said. He also condemned Mamdani for calling the NYPD racist, calling it “unforgivable” and telling him, “You better get on your knees and apologize! You bum.”
Though Giuliani acknowledged that Mamdani is a naturalized citizen, he added, “He doesn’t belong in America.”
Despite pressure from some Republicans and personal friends to endorse Cuomo as a unity candidate to block Mamdani, Giuliani said he wouldn’t compromise on principle. “I’ve been there before,” he noted, referencing his 1994 endorsement of Cuomo’s father, Democratic Governor Mario Cuomo, over GOP challenger George Pataki. “But not this time.”
Sliwa welcomed the endorsement with enthusiasm, calling Giuliani “New York’s greatest mayor” and promising to be “Giuliani 2.0” if elected.
President Trump, however, has not endorsed anyone in the race. When asked about Sliwa, Trump simply said, “not exactly prime time.”
Still, Giuliani remains a strong voice among older and moderate Republican voters in the city. His full-throated support for Sliwa could complicate Cuomo’s bid to win over crossover voters on the right.
Giuliani’s team also pushed back on ongoing legal controversies surrounding him, claiming the Georgia and Arizona election-related cases are faltering and that the $148 million defamation suit was settled without any admission of wrongdoing.
With Giuliani in his corner, Sliwa is hoping to unify the conservative base and reclaim a seat at City Hall for the GOP — something that hasn’t happened in two decades.