Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani began a “Five Boroughs Against Trump” tour on Monday as he tries to make opposition to President Donald Trump’s national agenda a centerpoint of the mayoral race.
Mamdani started the week-long tour in Manhattan with endorsements from three Democratic politicians: Ruth Messinger, the former Manhattan borough president; Keith Powers, a Manhattan councilmember; and Harvey Epstein, a state assemblymember.
Mamdani’s focus on Trump comes as former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani’s chief rival, faces scrutiny over his relationship with the president and a potential partnership, according to reports from The New York Times that Cuomo’s camp has denied. Mamdani is arguing that he is the best candidate to stand up to Trump and hopes to convey that message in each borough this week.
When endorsing Mamdani, Messinger said he would help protect New York City from Trump while focusing on affordability for all New Yorkers.
“We need a mayor who sees this city in its glorious complexity,” Messinger said at the event. “We need a mayor who will promote affordability here and fight the authoritarianism which is threatening us.”
“This is an administration that is deeply disconnected with the reality of New Yorkers, the reality of Americans, and we cannot count on this federal government to save us from to help us in our time we need,” Messinger added, positioning Mamdani as the strongest response to Trump.
During the event, Mamdani attacked Cuomo’s alleged relationship with Trump, who has not yet made an endorsement in the election, and attempted to link the two politicians.
“That is a betrayal: a betrayal of New Yorkers, a betrayal of the fabric of this city and a betrayal of what our constituents are looking for when they ask about leadership,” Mamdani said. “It is sad, and yet it is sadly not surprising, because we see far too many parallels between Donald Trump and Andrew Cuomo.”
The New York Times reported last week that Trump and Cuomo spoke about the mayor’s race in a phone call, which Cuomo denied. The day after that report, Cuomo told business leaders that does not want to fight with Trump.
Support from Trump would likely hurt any candidate in New York City, where the president faces widespread disapproval. In a local news interview Friday, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa urged Trump to stay out of the race, saying an endorsement would only help Mamdani.
Cuomo has insisted that he does not get along with Trump, pointing to his record as governor where he and the president sparred frequently during Trump’s first term.
Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union, which has endorsed Mamdani, hosted the Manhattan event on Monday, which included Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa, who both previously endorsed Mamdani.
Nadler compared Trump and Cuomo, saying they both threatened New York City.
“New York has always stood up to bullies and defended what’s right, even when it’s difficult, which is why we were so shocked to learn that Andrew Cuomo called Donald Trump for advice after the democratic primary,” Nadler said. “This betrayal shows exactly what we’re up against: politicians willing to legitimize our city’s greatest threat for their personal benefit.”
“The truth is, Cuomo and Trump are very similar — both use their power to serve themselves and their wealthy donors, and not the people,” Nadler added. “If it weren’t clear before, it should be now.”
Mamdani has said his three main opponents — including Mayor Eric Adams, who has faced heavy criticism for his close relationship with Trump — would all support the president.
“The fact is that the president has three candidates in this race — one that he’s directly been in touch with, another that he bailed out of legal trouble and now functionally controls, and the final one literally being a member of the same Republican Party,” Mamdani said in an Aug. 7 radio interview.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Mamdani, including calling him a “communist lunatic” and threatening to arrest him and floated the idea of deporting him. Mamdani, who became a naturalized citizen in 2018, cannot be legally deported and is a democratic socialist, not a communist.
Cuomo stepped up attacks on Mamdani recently, accusing him of being out-of-touch with New Yorkers while launching a new social media campaign that has attempted to match Mamdani’s strategy. Mamdani has a significant lead over Cuomo and other opponents, according to recent polling.
The added support from local politicians bolsters Mamdani’s campaign, particularly amid lasting scrutiny of his criticism of Israel. Messinger, who previously endorsed Comptroller Brad Lander in the Democratic primary, is a prominent leader in the New York Jewish community.
Mamdani has struggled to consolidate support among many establishment Democrats, who are split between his leftist campaign and the centrist Cuomo. Prominent politicians, including Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who both represent New York and lead Democrats in Congress, have yet to endorse a candidate.
Nadler, the dean of New York’s congressional delegation, evaded questions about Jeffries’ silence, saying he believes Mamdani will be a “very good mayor.”
Mamdani said his campaign is focused on giving New Yorkers hope and prioritizing affordability.
“Our politics is driven by an intent to serve each and every New Yorker, not by the vindictiveness that characterizes Andrew Cuomo’s politics,” Mamdani said.
