President Donald Trump has asserted that federal funding for New York City must be terminated under Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration, branding the city as a “Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster.”
In a recent Truth Social post, Trump reiterated threats made before the New York mayoral election: “Sadly, Mayor Mamdani is DESTROYING New York! It has no chance!” He further stated that the U.S. should not contribute to the city’s failure, warning it would only get worse. “The TAX, TAX, TAX Policies are SO WRONG. People are fleeing. They must change their ways, AND FAST,” he wrote.
Trump previously warned that if Mamdani won the November 2025 election, he would be “highly unlikely” to contribute federal funds beyond “the very minimum as required” and described New York City as a “Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster.”
Mamdani, who took office on January 1, 2026, became New York City’s first Muslim mayor at age 34. His fiscal plan targets corporations and high earners to fund free public transportation, universal childcare, and affordable housing. The administration has revised its proposal to generate roughly $1.75 billion annually through taxes on corporations and unincorporated businesses operating in the city.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has labeled corporate and income tax hikes “nonstarters,” endorsing instead a pied-a-terre tax on expensive secondary residences that is projected to yield about $500 million per year.
Polling data shows mixed public sentiment. A recent Emerson College poll at Mamdani’s 100-day mark found 43% approval, 27% disapproval, and 59% of respondents believing the city is on the wrong track. However, a Marist poll conducted in late March revealed 55% of New York City residents viewed the mayor favorably and 56% believed the city was moving in the right direction—a sharp reversal from October 2025, when 66% said it was off course.
