Trump Threatens Federal Funding Cut as Indian-Origin Democrat Zohran Mamdani Leads NYC Mayoral Race

Voters across the five boroughs head to polls Tuesday in a bruising three-way race for mayor, with Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani holding a double-digit lead over independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The 34-year-old state assemblyman, son of filmmaker Mira Nair, could become the city's first Muslim, first Indian-origin, and youngest mayor in a century if he prevails.

Mamdani surged after upsetting Cuomo in June's Democratic primary, energizing young and progressive voters with pledges for rent freezes on a million stabilized units, free citywide buses, government-run grocery stores, and universal childcare—funded by $9 billion in new taxes on corporations and the ultra-wealthy. "New Yorkers deserve a city that works for working people, not Wall Street," Mamdani told canvassers Monday during a Brooklyn Bridge march to City Hall.

But his rise has ignited fury. President Donald Trump, in an election-eve Truth Social blast, branded Mamdani a "communist" and vowed to withhold federal funds beyond the "bare minimum" if he wins, warning the city faces "economic disaster." Trump endorsed Cuomo, urging voters: "You must vote for him... Mamdani is not!" The city gets $7.4 billion annually from Washington, about 6% of its budget.

Mamdani fired back at a Queens rally: "That's a threat, not the law. We'll fight for every dollar New Yorkers deserve." Former President Barack Obama phoned Mamdani Saturday, offering to be a "sounding board" post-election.

Cuomo, seeking comeback after 2021 resignation over harassment allegations he denies, trails at 32-39% in polls while painting Mamdani as an "extremist" whose policies would flee businesses. Sliwa, Guardian Angels founder, polls 14-16%, slamming both as soft on crime.

Early voting shattered records at 734,000 ballots. Unlike primaries, no ranked-choice; plurality wins. Results trickle in days later due to mail-ins.

Mamdani's past statements—equating Narendra Modi to Benjamin Netanyahu over Gujarat riots, calling for U.S. aid cuts to Israel—drew backlash from Jewish and Indian-American groups, though he courts moderates by retaining NYPD leadership and vowing safety for all.

Wall Street trembles; billionaires like Bill Ackman decry his "act." Yet grassroots fervor—hip-hop roots as   Cardamom, BLM activism—propels him. A win signals leftward Democratic shift, challenging national moderates.

Polls close 9 p.m. Eyes on turnout in Queens strongholds. As one canvasser put it: "This isn't just an election—it's a referendum on who New York is for."