(DDM) – In a surprising political twist, former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly urged New Yorkers to vote for former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the city’s mayoral election scheduled to hold tomorrow.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) notes that Trump made the endorsement during a late-night press event at his Trump Tower residence in Manhattan, calling Cuomo “a fighter who understands how to rebuild a broken city.”
The former president, who remains an influential figure in American politics despite numerous legal challenges, said his decision was based on “New York’s desperate need for competence, safety, and bold leadership.”
Trump said, “New York used to be the greatest city in the world, and it can be again. Cuomo knows New York, he knows how to deal with crime, how to handle business, and how to make things work. He’s tough, and New York needs tough right now.”
DDM reports that Trump’s endorsement sent shockwaves through political circles, given Cuomo’s Democratic Party affiliation and history of clashes with Trump during their respective tenures as governor and president.
Cuomo had frequently criticized Trump’s federal policies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when both men exchanged heated remarks over health, economic, and safety issues.
Political observers say Trump’s sudden endorsement might be a calculated move to destabilize Democratic alliances in New York and project himself as a political kingmaker ahead of the 2028 elections.
Sources close to the former president told DDM that Trump views the New York mayoral race as a symbolic battleground for reclaiming urban influence, particularly among moderate and independent voters who once supported him.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 following sexual misconduct allegations and a federal probe into nursing home deaths, has recently re-entered politics with a message centered on “restoration and accountability.”
His campaign has emphasized public safety, affordable housing, and urban economic renewal, issues that resonate with middle-class New Yorkers struggling with post-pandemic recovery and rising crime rates.
Meanwhile, leading Democratic figures have been cautious in reacting to Trump’s endorsement.
Several Cuomo campaign insiders privately described it as an “uninvited distraction,” fearing it might alienate progressive voters who still view Trump as a political adversary.
Republican strategists, on the other hand, appear divided. Some praised Trump’s move as “strategic genius,” suggesting it could confuse Democratic voters and weaken traditional liberal dominance in New York City. Others criticized it as “political theater,” warning it could backfire by energizing anti-Trump sentiment.
Political analyst Dr. Melissa Hardy told DDM that “Trump’s support for Cuomo could be an attempt to blur partisan lines and test the waters for a new era of political realignment, one where personality and toughness outweigh ideology.”
The endorsement has also reignited online debates, with social media users expressing mixed reactions.
While some hailed Trump’s remarks as a sign of pragmatic politics, others dismissed it as hypocrisy, pointing to his long-standing rivalry with Cuomo.
New York City’s mayoral election, already tense and unpredictable, now faces a new wave of attention from both local and international media.
The contest is being closely watched as a test of how much Trump’s influence still matters in liberal strongholds like New York.
As campaigns enter the final stretch, both Trump and Cuomo find themselves in the global spotlight once again, two controversial figures whose political destinies remain intertwined in America’s most iconic city.