Trump Blasts Hochul-Mamdani Pied-à-Terre Tax as ‘Amateur Hour,’ Warns It Will ‘Ruin’ NYC
President Donald Trump blasted New York’s new pied-à-terre tax on Tuesday, warning that the surcharge targeting luxury second homes could further damage New York City and saying his administration will examine whether the federal government has any authority to intervene.
Trump unloaded on the policy after a Staten Island judge temporarily blocked Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s rollout of the tax amid a lawsuit challenging how the city is implementing it. Mamdani’s administration appealed the ruling, allowing the tax to remain in effect while the legal fight continues.
The new levy was approved by state lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul with support from Mamdani. It targets owners of luxury second homes in New York City valued at $5 million or more, with a substantially lower $1 million threshold applying to co-ops and condominiums.
Trump called the policy “pure Amateur Hour” and warned that it could drive investment and wealthy property owners away from the city. The president argued that New York is conducting a dangerous political experiment that could accelerate the city’s economic and quality-of-life problems.
Trump said it is difficult for him to watch what is happening in his former hometown and warned that the policies being pursued by New York Democrats could transform the city into a place associated with crime, deterioration and economic decline.
The president also raised the possibility of federal involvement. Trump said he is examining whether Washington has any legal ability to prevent the policy from moving forward before what he described as serious damage is done to millions of New Yorkers and others who want the city to prosper.
Hochul fired back at Trump while speaking to reporters on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The Democratic governor defended the tax as a matter of wealthy property owners paying their “fair share” and accused Trump of hurting New Yorkers through his own economic policies.
The dispute adds another front to Trump’s increasingly bitter political battle with Hochul and Mamdani. Trump has repeatedly attacked New York’s Democratic leadership over taxes, crime and economic policy, while Hochul and Mamdani have positioned themselves as prominent opponents of the president.
The tax is already facing a significant legal challenge. A Staten Island judge issued a temporary restraining order after plaintiffs argued that the city was mishandling implementation and unfairly burdening homeowners, though Mamdani’s appeal means the levy remains active pending further court action.
Trump is now signaling that the fight could extend beyond New York’s courts. By ordering his administration to investigate whether the federal government can intervene, the president is putting additional pressure on Hochul and Mamdani while warning that their latest tax policy could have lasting consequences for America’s largest city.