The New York City mayoral race has drawn national attention, including from President Donald Trump, who has taken aim at both Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa. During remarks in September, Mr. Trump joked that “Curtis is not exactly prime time” and mocked Sliwa’s well-known fondness for his rescue cats. At the same time, the president condemned Mamdani as a “communist” and hinted that federal funding for New York City could be reduced if the assemblyman were to win. “I wouldn’t be generous to a communist,” he said earlier this week.
In response, Sliwa — a fellow New Yorker — warned that Trump’s involvement could backfire. “Every time he gets involved in this mayoral election, he strengthens Zohran Mamdani,” Sliwa said. “They don’t want to campaign against me or Andrew Cuomo. They want to campaign against Donald Trump.”
The Trump administration has had a strained relationship with New York’s leadership, freezing $18 billion earmarked for major Manhattan tunnel projects and attempting to revoke counterterrorism funding over disputes surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. It has also pushed through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which restricts Medicaid and food stamp access — a move that could have broad economic impacts across U.S. cities.
Sliwa acknowledged that federal spending cuts may be unavoidable but pledged to protect vulnerable residents. “There will be cuts,” he said. “We just have to make sure they don’t hurt people who are desperately in need.”
This marks Sliwa’s second consecutive run for mayor, following a decades-long career in public service and media. Known for his trademark red beret, a symbol of his Guardian Angels roots, he has become a recognizable figure in New York political life. Still, he insists that image won’t define his candidacy. “If that were the only reason not to elect me,” he said, “I’ll take the red beret, put it in storage, and I’ll never wear it again. But you gotta elect me mayor first.”
As the race heads into its final weeks, Sliwa’s campaign continues to position him as the candidate of public safety and fiscal responsibility — a voice, he says, for New Yorkers who feel left behind in a city struggling to find its political balance.