NEW YORK — President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa as "not exactly prime time," taking particular aim at Sliwa’s vow to shelter rescue cats at the official mayoral residence, as polls continue to show Democratic state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani ahead in the Nov. 4 general election.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Trump said Sliwa "wants cats to be in Gracie Mansion," and added, "We don't need thousands of cats," while warning that 33-year-old Mamdani, a democratic socialist and the presumptive Democratic nominee, could likely win unless at least two of the other three major candidates withdraw. Trump said he believed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo might still have a chance in a one-on-one matchup with Mamdani.
The remarks come as the New York mayoral contest remains fluid. Mamdani emerged as the favorite after winning the Democratic primary and has been shown as the leader in early September polls, including a New York Times/Siena University survey and a Quinnipiac University poll. Both polls showed Mamdani ahead of Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams and Sliwa, though they suggested different dynamics if some candidates were to exit the race.
The Quinnipiac poll indicated Mamdani's margin over Cuomo could narrow if Adams withdrew. The Times/Siena poll found that Mamdani’s advantage could shrink further if both Adams and Sliwa left the race. Adams, a Democrat, did not participate in the primary after his campaign was sidetracked by a federal bribery case that was later dismissed.
Adams’ campaign on Friday said the mayor has no intention of resigning or abandoning his reelection bid, though it confirmed he is commissioning a poll to assess his standing. Todd Shapiro, a campaign spokesperson, said Adams was "looking at polls just like he's doing everything else" and added, "He's still very popular. He's running on a record of success."
Sliwa, the founder of New York's Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol group, responded on his radio show and in an interview to Trump's comments, saying the president was reacting to what people had been telling him about Sliwa without current knowledge of the candidate. Sliwa defended his affection for animals in a follow-up email, saying "animal welfare" is an issue New Yorkers care about and noting his wife’s work fostering and saving animals. Sliwa has said he keeps a large number of rescue cats in his Manhattan apartment and has suggested Gracie Mansion's larger grounds could better accommodate them.
Cuomo, after losing the Democratic primary, is running as an independent in the general election, setting up a four-way contest among Mamdani, Cuomo, Adams and Sliwa. Campaign strategists and some pollsters have said the dynamics could shift depending on whether one or more candidates exit the race, with particular attention on whether Adams, whose legal troubles were dismissed, might withdraw or accept an alternative role.
Trump’s public comments are the latest instance of his involvement in local races and reflect his continuing interest in New York politics. He has urged rivals of Mamdani to step aside, arguing that consolidating the non-Mamdani vote would improve the chances of an alternative candidate defeating the Democratic nominee.
The mayoral election is set for Nov. 4. Candidates continue to campaign while voters and pollsters watch whether any of the major contenders will change course before the general election.