Trump wants '2 people to drop out' to set up '1-on-1' mayoral race with Mamdani in NYC
President Donald Trump aiming to defeat Democratic Party nominee Zohran Mamdani in New York City's high-profile mayoral poll is urging rival candidates to drop out I don't think you can win unless you have one on one Trump stated reporters before a White House dinner with leading tech industry executives on Thursday night Mamdani the -year-old Ugandan-born socialist state lawmaker from the New York City borough of Queens who has gained notoriety for his history of communist and antisemitic rhetoric shocked the political world in June as he defeated former New York Gov Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates by double-digits to capture the Democratic Party's mayoral nomination Cuomo who resigned as governor in amid multiple scandals is running in the general poll as an independent candidate So is Mayor Eric Adams the embattled incumbent who informed earlier this year that he would work around the Democratic primary amid plummeting approval ratings MAMDANI AND CUOMO DEBATE OVER DEBATES IN NYC MAYORAL SHOWDOWNAlso on the ballot is Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa who for a second straight electoral contest is the Republican mayoral nominee But Mamdani is the clear polling frontrunner in a city where Democrats dominate the political landscape And a success in November would make him the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of the nation's largest part populous city Mamdani surged to a primary success thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City's high cost of living It was fueled by a grassroots army of supporters and backing from top national progressive champions including Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen Bernie Sanders of Vermont ADAMS CUOMO PACT JABS IN INTERVIEWS AS DEMS-TURNED-INDEPENDENTS COURT ANTI-MAMDANI VOTEAnd Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms including TikTok as he engaged low-propensity voters His far-left proposals include eliminating fares to ride New York City's vast bus system making CUNY City University of New York tuition-free freezing rents on municipal housing offering free childcare for children up to age and setting up government-run grocery stores Trump a native New Yorker who nowadays calls Florida home once again weighed in on the race saying I would like to see two people drop out and have it be one on one And I think that's a race that could be won The president also reiterated his claim that Mamdani is a communist I'd prefer not to have a communist mayor of New York City And you know that's what he is based on his protocol If you look at his statements in the past Trump declared WHITE HOUSE SILENT ON DOCUMENT THAT TRUMP ALLIES HAVE WEIGHED LURING ADAMS TO ADMINISTRATION TO UNDERCUT MAMDANITrump did not say which candidates he would like to see drop out And solicited by reporters if he's encouraged any of the mayoral contenders to exit the race Trump declared No Top Trump advisors are trying to persuade Adams and Sliwa to drop out of the race by offering them positions in the president's administration the New York Times informed this week And the New York Post published that Trump wants the candidates to bow out by next week The New York Times and New York Post have also informed that Adams has communicated a small group of friends and advisers that he is considering job opportunities that would prompt him to suspend his mayoral re-election campaign And both newspapers also broadcasted that while in Florida on Tuesday Adams met with top Trump envoy and advisor Steve Witkoff But the mayor and his campaign publicly reiterate that he's not exiting the race Not dropping out Adams campaign spokesperson Todd Shapiro narrated Fox News' Henry Naccari On Friday Adams doubled down saying in a message I am still running for re-election But in what appeared to be an acknowledgment of the disclosed job offer in the Trump administration the mayor wrote While I will consistently listen if called to serve our country no formal offers have been made Sliwa emphasized in a Fox News Digital interview last month I'm not dropping out I'm a major party candidate Let the independents play musical chairs and decide who to drop out He has reiterated in modern days that he's not dropping out and has announced that he has no interest in working in the Trump administration Cuomo speaking with reporters on Thursday reported he had no idea whether the reports on Trump trying to clear the field for him were accurate and he noted he hadn't spoken to Trump or Adams I know nothing about that speculation the former governor disclosed Trump's comments on the mayoral race came hours after Cuomo challenged Mamdani to five different debates across all five New York City buroughs Cuomo argued that Mamdani had failed to give a straight answer to reporters' questions and had changed his mind on everything he has declared on the campaign trail When you try to ask Mamdani a question he will only not answer and he obfuscates And frankly you guys let him get away with it Cuomo declared I won't let him get away with it And New Yorkers won't let him get away with it But Mamdani shot back with a proposal of his own debate Trump Let s cut out the middle man Why should I debate Donald Trump s puppet when I could debate Donald Trump himself Mamdani's campaign reported Fox News Digital in a comment If Donald Trump is serious about intervening in the mayoral race he should come to New York City and debate me directly about why he s cutting SNAP benefits for hungry New Yorkers to give tax breaks to his wealthy donors Meanwhile in a sign of its fundraising prowess and grassroots strength the Mamdani campaign on Friday released that it had officially reached New York City s million spending cap and noted it would urge supporters to stop donating Fox News' Courtney De George contributed to this analysis
