'He Didn’t Say That’: Cuomo Rejects Trump’s Endorsement, Mamdani Quips ‘You Worked Hard For This’

Last Updated:November 04, 2025, 19:22 IST

Cuomo made the remarks while standing alongside Ruben Diaz Sr., a former city councilmember and fellow Democrat known for his support of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.

Trump’s unexpected praise for Cuomo sparks fresh debate in New York’s mayoral race, drawing sharp reactions from rival Zohran Mamdani. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)

New York City mayoral contender Andrew Cuomo appeared to dismiss US President Donald Trump’s endorsement on Tuesday as the city headed to the polls.

“He didn’t say that. He didn’t say that. He did not say that," Cuomo told reporters, before reaffirming his political stance. “I’m a good Democrat and a proud Democrat and I’m going to stay a proud Democrat."

His remarks came after Trump said he would back Cuomo, “a bad Democrat," over his rival Zohran Mamdani, whom he labelled “a communist."

As former New York governor Andrew Cuomo works to build a broad coalition ahead of the city’s mayoral vote, his recent outreach to Republican voters has pushed him into tricky political ground.

Cuomo appeared alongside Ruben Diaz Sr., a former city councilmember and Democrat known for backing Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again" movement. The event followed a campaign stop with Trump supporter Inna Vernikov on Friday and a reported phone call with Council Member Vickie Paladino, another vocal MAGA supporter, in which Cuomo allegedly tried to win her backing over Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, according to City & State.

Meanwhile, Cuomo’s Democratic rival Zohran Mamdani quickly seized on Trump’s apparent endorsement of Cuomo. “Congratulations, Andrew Cuomo. I know how hard you worked for this," Mamdani wrote on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a graphic that read “TRUMP endorses CUOMO."

A former governor of New York state, Andrew Cuomo is hoping for a comeback from sexual harassment allegations that led to his resignation in 2021.

The 67-year-old Democrat running as an independent, has led a centrist campaign for mayor drawing on his decades of experience in politics — including a stint as New York attorney general and in president Bill Clinton’s administration.

He has prioritized public safety with a pledge to hire 5,000 new officers for the New York Police Department.

Cuomo has also proposed building new housing for residents of differing income levels, smaller classroom sizes and more access to affordable health care.

Many New Yorkers will recall his ten-year spell as governor which covered the Covid-19 pandemic, during which his leadership was initially praised before he faced criticism for understating the number of deaths in state nursing homes.

Cuomo was married to Kerry Kennedy, a scion of the famed US political family.

Shankhyaneel Sarkar

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has covered se...Read More

Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has covered se...

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News world 'He Didn’t Say That’: Cuomo Rejects Trump’s Endorsement, Mamdani Quips ‘You Worked Hard For This’

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