Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani is turning up the heat in the city’s mayoral race, seizing on reports of alleged backchannel communication between former Governor Andrew Cuomo and President Donald Trump—an unconfirmed claim both men have denied, but one that is already reshaping the political battlefield.

In the wake of a New York Times report suggesting Trump and Cuomo recently spoke by phone, Mamdani launched a full-blown offensive, accusing Cuomo of “coordinating with” the Republican president and branding it a disqualifying betrayal.

“The job of mayor is not to audition to be the jester for a want-to-be king,” Mamdani declared Thursday at an impromptu rally outside 26 Federal Plaza, flanked by union leaders and immigrant advocates. “New Yorkers do not want a mayor who is working in tandem with the president to subvert the will of the people.”

The Trump-Cuomo phone call, flatly denied by both camps, has nonetheless ignited a political firestorm. White House aides have reportedly been making quiet calls to New York power players to assess whether Trump should formally weigh in on the race. A source close to the matter told The New York Post that the president remains undecided but is deeply concerned about the possibility of Mamdani becoming mayor.

“President Trump thinks it will be a disaster if the little commie Mamdani wins,” said Andrew Stein, a former City Council president and longtime friend of both Trump and Cuomo. “The president loves New York. He’s a New Yorker at heart.”

Billionaire John Catsimatidis, a major donor and ally of both Mayor Eric Adams and Trump, said he urged the president during a recent dinner to hold off on making any endorsements until September. “He wants New York to thrive—he wants it to be the capital of capitalism,” Catsimatidis said.

Yet Mamdani, now the Democratic nominee, is embracing the controversy as political fuel, especially in a city where Trump remains widely unpopular. A July poll found the former president’s unfavorability in New York City at 62%, while Mamdani was the only candidate with a net positive rating.

“If Trump backs any of my opponents, I welcome it,” Mamdani said on WNYC Thursday. “The fact is, the president has three candidates in this race: one he’s been in direct contact with, one he bailed out of legal trouble, and one who shares his party’s name.”

He was referring to Cuomo, Adams, and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa, respectively. Mamdani also accused Adams of being “compromised” due to the federal government quietly shelving its criminal probe against the mayor—a move he implied was politically motivated.

Rev. Al Sharpton warned that any perceived alliance with Trump would be politically toxic in deep-blue New York. “It’s a gift with a bow on it,” Sharpton said. “If I were Mamdani, I’d say: ‘A vote for my opponent is a vote for Trump.’”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)