'Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards,' says US president
US President Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to prevent Democratic mayoral nominee for New York City Zohran Mamdani from destroying the city.
"As President of the United States, I'm not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards," he said. He previously threatened to withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani does not "do the right thing" as mayor.
Trump vowed to "save" the city, "just like" he said he did "with the Good Ol' USA!”
The conflict stems from Mamdani's pledge to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests and defy Trump's deportation plans.
Speaking at a Florida immigration policy roundtable, Trump said Tuesday that authorities would arrest Mamdani if he interferes with federal operations.
Mamdani described Trump's statements as "an attack on our democracy" and a warning to New Yorkers who refuse to stay silent. He accused the president of “intimidation" tactics.
Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in last week's Democratic primary after rank-choice votes were counted. His victory positions him to become New York City's first Muslim mayor, representing a significant milestone in the city's political history.
