President Donald Trump issued a stern warning Sunday to New York City’s next mayor — especially socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani — making clear that federal funding could be cut off if the city embraces radical leftist policies.
Speaking on Sunday Morning Futures, Trump declined to name a preferred candidate but made one thing certain: “Whoever’s mayor of New York is going to have to behave themselves or the federal government is coming down very tough on them financially.”
The statement came just moments after Trump delivered a blunt assessment of Mamdani, who recently defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.
“He’s a communist. I think it’s very bad for New York. I don’t know that he’s going to get in — it’s inconceivable that he is,” Trump said. “But he’s pure communist. I think he admits it. And if he does get in, I’m going to be president and he’s going to have to do the right thing, or they’re not getting any money.”
Trump continued, “He’s got to do the right thing. It’s shocking. I used to say we’d never have a socialist in this country — no, we’ll have a communist. I never heard of him before. I don’t know who he is. But what I’ve seen, he’s a radical left lunatic.”
Anchor Maria Bartiromo noted Mamdani has pledged to defy ICE and arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York City — a vow that has fueled widespread backlash. The Democratic socialist, who represents parts of Queens in the state assembly, supports policies such as taxing “whiter” neighborhoods at higher rates, freezing rent, defunding the NYPD, and creating city-run grocery stores.
Watch Part 4 of @MariaBartiromo‘s interview with @POTUS discussing the NYC Mayor race, the Supreme Court rulings, and the future of the Trump agenda pic.twitter.com/7W5krRTiBj
— SundayMorningFutures (@SundayFutures) June 29, 2025
Mamdani responded to Trump’s criticism on NBC’s Meet the Press, denying he’s a communist and accusing Trump of targeting his appearance and background to distract from real issues.
“No, I am not [a communist],” Mamdani said. “The president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I’m from, who I am, because he wants to distract from what I’m fighting for.”
But with Trump poised for re-election and Democrats panicking over Mamdani’s rise, the political collision between the White House and New York City could become a defining standoff in the months ahead.