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)