President Donald Trump has inserted himself directly into New York City’s mayoral race, privately urging long-shot candidates to bow out within days in order to block Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani from seizing City Hall, The New York Post reported.

Trump phoned billionaire businessman John Catsimatidis on Sunday, warning of the political fallout if Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner, prevails in November. Catsimatidis — who has ties to both Mayor Eric Adams and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa — said the president made clear he would not allow a socialist mayor to take charge of the city.

“He is concerned about the New York City race. He does not want a socialist mayor, and he said, ‘It’s not going to happen under his watch,’” Catsimatidis told The Post. “He wants the field narrowed within the next 10 days so the strongest candidate can take Mamdani head-on.”

According to sources familiar with Trump’s thinking, the president is weighing ways to push Adams and Sliwa aside in favor of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Despite his tarnished political brand, Cuomo has consistently polled second in the crowded field, while Sliwa trails in third and Adams a distant fourth.

Party insiders say the maneuver is not rooted in Trump’s affection for Cuomo but in cold political calculus: Mamdani’s support has stalled, and internal polling shows the ex-governor as the only candidate with a plausible path to victory.

“Either Adams or Sliwa dropping out would give Cuomo the boost he needs,” one source said.

The president’s intervention comes as White House officials quietly explore landing Adams a federal post to coax him out of the race — an effort insiders say has so far failed. Adams has repeatedly vowed to stay in, with allies describing his disdain for Cuomo as outweighing his fear of a Mamdani victory.

“While other candidates have quit their jobs, Mayor Adams hasn’t walked away from his responsibilities,” campaign spokesperson Todd Shapiro said. “He is running for re-election not because he needs another position, but because he believes deeply in the future of this city and has a proven record of getting things done.”

Sliwa, meanwhile, has rejected outright any suggestion that he step aside. “I am the only major-party candidate on the ballot besides Mamdani, and I am not dropping out because I will save this city,” he declared Thursday.

Trump’s call marks a rare — and historic — direct intervention by a sitting president in a New York City mayoral contest. While the White House has declined public comment on his involvement, Catsimatidis said Trump left no doubt he was prepared to act if the field does not shift by next week.

“He’s going to do whatever he has to do,” Catsimatidis said.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)