President Donald Trump sharply criticized New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, suggesting that, if elected, Mamdani could face a federal power play from the White House. Trump claimed to hold “all the levers” and implied he might intervene directly in New York’s governance. He also threatened to scrutinize Mamdani’s legal status and said he would arrest him if the candidate obstructed federal immigration enforcement operations.

In his threats, Trump also warned he might withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani won and failed to “do the right thing.” He labeled Mamdani a “communist lunatic” and said the city’s access to federal resources could be jeopardized.  Mamdani, for his part, publicly rejected the threats, calling them “intimidation” and an attempt to chill political dissent. He asserted there is no requirement under federal law for local jurisdictions to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, and pledged to resist any attempts to bully or silence him.

Mamdani’s campaign platform includes ambitious housing and tax proposals. Among them is a plan to shift property tax burdens from lower‑income, outer borough neighborhoods to wealthier, predominantly White districts, on grounds that the current assessment system is inequitable. He has also proposed a $10 million “Tangled Title Fund” to help homeowners in communities with legal title issues formalize their property ownership. Critics argue such measures could destabilize real estate markets or provoke backlash. Meanwhile, business leaders are sounding alarms over Mamdani’s proposal for an extra 2% tax on incomes above $1 million—a jump that could drive residents or investment out of the city.