In the high-stakes race for New York City’s mayoralty, a swirl of rumors, denials, and political maneuvering has gripped the city’s political class and voters alike. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent after a stunning primary defeat, finds himself at the center of controversy over alleged ties to former President Donald Trump—an association both men publicly deny, even as whispers persist behind closed doors.
On August 19, 2025, Cuomo’s campaign emphatically denied expecting help from Trump or anyone else in the mayoral contest, according to Fox News Digital. This came after Politico’s New York Playbook reported that Cuomo was “counting on” Trump to encourage Republicans to back him over the GOP nominee, Curtis Sliwa, in November’s pivotal election. At a Hamptons fundraiser just days earlier, Cuomo told attendees that Sliwa wasn’t a “serious candidate” and speculated that Trump would say, “you’ll be wasting your vote on Sliwa.”
Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo’s senior advisor, clarified that the former governor was merely responding to a hypothetical scenario about a two-person race, not orchestrating an alliance. “We’re not asking for or expecting help from anyone,” Azzopardi reiterated, as reported by The New York Times. The Cuomo campaign has doubled down on its claim that Cuomo represents New York City’s “only chance” of defeating Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist who shocked the political establishment by winning the Democratic primary in June.
Meanwhile, Curtis Sliwa, the Republican standard-bearer, has distanced himself from Trump, insisting that Trump’s involvement would not be helpful in the city’s political climate. After The New York Times reported that Trump had spoken with Cuomo and his associates about the race, both Trump and Cuomo denied any such conversation took place. Cuomo went so far as to say he would not accept a Trump endorsement, an assertion that Sliwa mocked, calling Cuomo’s campaign “a mess” and dismissing his attempts to leverage a Trump connection as “desperate.” Sliwa also lambasted Cuomo for his “disastrous no-bail law” and COVID-19 policies, tying them to rising crime rates in the city.
At the same Hamptons fundraiser, hosted by conservative media executive Jimmy Finkelstein and former City Council President Andrew Stein, Cuomo confirmed his attendance but denied discussing Trump with Stein. Yet, according to Politico, Cuomo told the crowd, “Let’s put it this way: I knew the president very well. I believe there will be opportunities to actually cooperate with him. I also believe that he’s not going to want to fight with me in New York if he can avoid it.”
The event’s revelations sent ripples through New York and Washington, as Trump was rumored to be weighing whether to intervene in the race or even strike an alliance with Cuomo. Such a move could prove risky: Trump remains deeply unpopular in New York City, and Mamdani’s campaign wasted no time capitalizing on the report. “Andrew Cuomo has been caught red-handed,” declared Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec. “Since he’s too afraid to say it to New Yorkers’ faces, we’ll make it clear: Andrew Cuomo is Donald Trump’s choice for mayor.”
Cuomo’s team dismissed this as “silly,” accusing Mamdani of deflecting attention from his own record—particularly his support for decriminalizing prostitution, which Cuomo criticized at a press conference the day before. For his part, Mamdani has said he would be Trump’s “worst nightmare” if elected, while Trump has attacked Mamdani as a “100% Communist Lunatic.”
The White House, for its part, has sought to tamp down speculation. “As President Trump has repeatedly stated, he has no intention of getting involved or making an endorsement in the New York City mayoral race,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital.
Cuomo’s campaign strategy has shifted markedly since his primary defeat. Once focused on portraying himself as the experienced bulwark against Trump’s agenda—complete with campaign ads warning, “Trump’s coming for New York. Who do you think can stop him?”—Cuomo now finds himself on the defensive, with references to Trump notably diminished in his messaging. The challenge is compounded by a fragmented field: with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and Sliwa both refusing to drop out, anti-Mamdani votes risk being split, diminishing Cuomo’s chances of victory.
Adams, who is also running as an independent, has developed a complicated relationship with Trump. Earlier this year, Trump admitted to helping Adams after the Justice Department dropped corruption charges against the mayor. Adams has not minced words regarding Cuomo’s predicament, stating, “The truth is he’s an embarrassing double-digit loser who couldn’t beat a socialist, and his failure created this entire scenario.”
Further complicating matters for Cuomo is his campaign’s evolving digital strategy. At the same Hamptons fundraiser, Cuomo introduced his new social media team, including the controversial figure Jason Levin, a self-proclaimed “memelord” and vocal Trump supporter. Levin, who is not paid by the campaign, boasted on X (formerly Twitter) about creating viral memes for Cuomo. His provocative online persona—marked by sarcastic posts and Trump praise—has drawn criticism from Mamdani’s camp, who argue that Cuomo’s digital presence now mirrors “Trump’s D.C.”
Cuomo’s spokesperson, Azzopardi, was quick to distance the campaign from Levin, asserting, “Hatred, bigotry, misogyny and anything like that has no place in this race.” Yet Mamdani’s spokesperson, Dora Pekec, countered, “There’s no strategy they won’t embrace in their tragic efforts at relevance. Their digital presence perfectly encapsulates Cuomo’s regressive, conservative politics and wouldn’t be out of place in Trump’s D.C.—but it has no place in New York City.”
As the campaign intensifies, every move is scrutinized. Cuomo’s decision to shut down the Indian Point nuclear plant years ago has resurfaced as a political liability, with critics blaming him for increased emissions and higher electricity prices in the city. Meanwhile, Adams has sought to distinguish himself by opposing Trump’s immigration enforcement tactics in city courts, filing legal briefs in support of immigrant advocacy groups.
With the November election looming, the race remains unsettled. Each candidate faces unique challenges: Cuomo must overcome accusations of secret Trump alliances and digital missteps; Mamdani must fend off attacks on his progressive agenda; Sliwa struggles to remain relevant as the Republican nominee in a city where the GOP is often sidelined; and Adams navigates the fallout from past scandals and his own balancing act with Trump.
The battle for Gracie Mansion has become a referendum not just on policy, but on the city’s political soul—and the tangled, sometimes contradictory relationships among its most prominent contenders. As accusations fly and alliances shift, New Yorkers are left to decide who can truly lead the city through its next chapter.
