Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, now mounting a comeback bid for mayor of New York City, reportedly insisted Thursday that he does not want President Donald J. Trump involved in the crowded race, even as reports swirled that Trump’s team had weighed efforts to consolidate support behind him.
At a press conference, Cuomo brushed off a New York Times report that Trump advisers had floated the idea of offering Mayor Eric Adams a role in the administration to entice him to drop out.
The report also suggested that Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa might be offered a similar deal, part of a broader strategy to avoid splitting the vote and to strengthen Cuomo’s chances of defeating Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in November.
“I don’t want him involved in anything to do with my race,” Cuomo declared. He added that he had not spoken with Trump or Adams about such discussions and emphasized that any decision about remaining in the race was up to Adams or Sliwa individually.
The Adams campaign echoed that position, with a spokesperson telling the Times that the mayor had not spoken with Trump about joining his administration.
Sliwa issued his own statement rejecting any suggestion of backroom talks, making clear he would not accept a position in Washington. “My focus is on New York City,” he said firmly.
The jostling reflects growing anxiety among Democrats and independents opposed to Mamdani, who has maintained a steady lead in polls but generally with less than 50 percent support. Critics worry that Mamdani could prevail if opposition to him remains fragmented across multiple candidates.
Independent candidate Jim Walden, who had initially urged rivals to unite behind the strongest alternative to Mamdani, dropped out this week. His decision, however, was unlikely to alter the race significantly, as he had only polled in the low single digits. The possibility of a withdrawal by Adams or Sliwa, both of whom command more substantial followings, could reshape the race more dramatically.
Still, Cuomo insisted he was not coordinating with Trump or anyone else to clear the field. “It’s none of my business,” he said. He maintained that Mamdani fears a head-to-head matchup with him precisely because “he doesn’t currently have the support of most New Yorkers.”
Mamdani, for his part, lashed out at the reported maneuverings, accusing Trump, Cuomo, and Adams of seeking to “scheme behind closed doors.”
Cuomo responded by pointing to his record as governor and his well-documented clashes with Trump. “My history with Trump is crystal clear,” he said. “I think every New Yorker knows that toe-to-toe with Donald Trump, I serve New York well.”
At the same time, Cuomo acknowledged that political reality may demand unity among those who view Mamdani as too radical for the city. “If the other candidates all agree that Mamdani is an existential threat,” he said, “then they should defer to the strongest candidate against him.”
Whether that candidate is Cuomo — or whether Adams and Sliwa are willing to step aside — remains the defining question in a race that has exposed both the divisions and the urgency among those determined to block Mamdani’s rise.
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