Readers of the New York Post offered sharply divergent reactions after President Trump urged contenders in New York City’s mayoral contest to withdraw, a series of letters published Sept. 9, 2025, shows.
The letters, submitted from across the city and beyond, reflected a mix of agreement, criticism and strategic suggestions. Some writers backed Trump’s intervention and proposed which candidates should step aside; others warned that a president attempting to shape a local contest was out of bounds and risked political backlash.
One recurring theme urged consolidation to block a perceived unfavorable outcome. "I have to agree with President Trump; two of the candidates should drop out of the race for mayor of New York City ('Stop this guy or I will,' Sept. 5)," wrote T. Bove of Staten Island, who added that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa should withdraw and support Mayor Eric Adams. Meir Wikler of Brooklyn urged a different inducement, suggesting the race "will be determined by a single New Yorker: President Trump," and proposed that offering federal jobs to two challengers could prompt them to exit and improve the city's prospects.
Other letters focused on law enforcement and public safety as decisive issues. Nicholas Maffei of Yonkers praised Sliwa as a longtime city defender and questioned why Trump had not endorsed him, while Maria Musolino of Staten Island warned that recommending Cuomo to New Yorkers "does not do New Yorkers any favors," citing Cuomo’s record on policing.
Several contributors pushed back against presidential involvement. "Since when does a president dictate who should run or not run for a political office, especially in New York? Trump is totally out of bounds on this one," wrote Ron Zajicek of Cortlandt. Susan Cienfuegos of New Rochelle said Trump’s threat to intervene "just solidified the description of dictator against himself, and that will push Trump-haters to vote for Mamdani out of spite." Other writers echoed constitutional and democratic concerns, stressing that mayoral contests are for voters to decide.
Some letters mixed criticism of individual candidacies with skepticism of Trump’s approach. Eugene Dunn of Medford said it was "surprising" that Trump would favor Cuomo over Sliwa given Trump’s law-and-order campaign messaging. James Evans of Worcester, Mass., dismissed the idea that Cuomo was the lesser of two evils. Louis Milo of Manhattan predicted that, if elected, Cuomo would switch parties, writing that Cuomo "will flip within the first month to the Republican Party." Those statements reflected opinion and were presented as the writers’ perspectives.
The letters also illustrated how national figures can shape local politics. Several correspondents noted that Trump’s public comments have injected the presidency into a municipal contest and may intensify partisan response. Some writers argued that Trump’s involvement could consolidate opposition; others said it could produce tactical advantages if it leads to candidate withdrawal or coordination among opponents of Zohran Mamdani, a progressive candidate frequently cited by letter writers as the outcome to be prevented.
The New York Post’s letters-to-the-editor page said submissions are subject to editing for clarity, length, accuracy and style. The correspondence published Sept. 9 captures a fragmented public reaction, underscoring how a presidential intervention in a city mayoral race prompted both strategic calculations and constitutional objections among readers.