In a surprising political twist, former President Donald Trump has made a public appeal to New York City voters, urging them to cast their ballots in favor of former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the upcoming mayoral election. This endorsement comes as Cuomo finds himself trailing behind Democratic Socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani in recent polls.

Trump, who hails from New York City, took to his favored platform, Truth Social, to make his stance clear. “Regardless of personal feelings toward Andrew Cuomo, the choice is clear. You must vote for him and hope he delivers outstanding results. He has the potential, unlike Mamdani,” Trump asserted in a post shared on Monday, ahead of the Tuesday election.

Interestingly, Trump also discouraged support for the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, suggesting that backing Sliwa would inadvertently benefit Mamdani. Furthermore, Trump reiterated his previous warning that should Mamdani emerge victorious, he would consider withholding federal funds from New York City.

“As the leader of the nation, I believe it is imperative to prevent New York City from becoming an economic and social disaster under Mamdani’s leadership,” Trump declared. He criticized Mamdani’s principles as historically unsupported and unsuccessful over the centuries.

Trump concluded with a pointed remark, “I would rather see a Democrat with a proven record of success win than a novice ‘Communist’ who has consistently failed.” This endorsement marks a notable departure from typical partisan lines, reflecting the complex dynamics at play in this high-stakes electoral contest.

Cuomo said last month he would not accept an endorsement from Trump if offered one.

Mamdani defeated Cuomo earlier this year in the city’s Democratic primary, and polling has shown the assemblyman retains a lead heading into Election Day. The Decision Desk HQ polling average shows Mamdani leading the field with 44.6 percent, followed by Cuomo at 31.6 percent, and Sliwa at 18.6 percent. 

Tens of thousands of New Yorkers have already voted early in the mayoral contest.

Mamdani has said he would be willing to work with Trump to lower the cost of living for city residents. He said earlier Monday that he would be prepared to fight the administration over its threats to withhold federal money from the city.