President Donald Trump has privately discussed intervening in New York City’s mayoral election to try to prevent Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani from winning, according to a New York Times report that cites eight people familiar with the conversations. In recent weeks, Trump has quizzed Republican lawmakers and New York business allies about which rival—incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, former Governor Andrew Cuomo or Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa—stands the best chance of defeating the democratic-socialist front-runner. Advisers Mark Penn and Andrew Stein have shown the president private polling indicating Cuomo could remain competitive as an independent candidate despite his loss in June’s Democratic primary. Trump also held a previously undisclosed phone call with Cuomo, people briefed on the exchange said, adding to speculation that the former governor could become the focus of an anti-Mamdani push. The prospect of presidential involvement has divided the field. Sliwa publicly urged Trump to stay out, warning that any endorsement might strengthen Mamdani in the heavily Democratic city. Mamdani, for his part, accused Cuomo of “conspiring” with the White House to rig the race, a charge Cuomo rejected. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump currently has “no intention” of making an endorsement. The general election is set for 4 November.