Mamdani vows to defy Trump in fiery final march from Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall ahead of Election Day

Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani struck a defiant tone in an early morning speech Monday in response to President Donald Trump’s "threats" to block federal funding to New York City if the democratic socialist is elected Tuesday.

Mamdani marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall at sunrise in a dramatic demonstration on the eve of Election Day. Flanked by supporters, local officials and Attorney General Letitia James, Mamdani promised to fight back against the Trump administration.

"What we have seen in cities and states across the country is the necessity of, not just using the bully pulpit but also the courts, to ensure that every dollar that a municipality is owed is a dollar that is paid," Mamdani said. "And I will take every single day, after this election, to put together my city government, my city hall, to ensure that it is prepared not only for the threats from Donald Trump, but also the threats from an affordability crisis that has put one in four New Yorkers in poverty."

Trump told CBS' Norah O'Donnell on "60 Minutes" Sunday that if Mamdani wins, it is "going to be hard for me, as the president, to give a lot of money to New York."

ZOHRAN MAMDANI LAUNCHES ANTI-TRUMP TOUR ACROSS FIVE BOROUGHS IN NEW YORK CITY

Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is joined by Attorney General Letitia James, marching across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"Because if you have a communist running New York, all you're doing is wasting the money you're sending there," Trump added.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI VOWS TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP'S THREAT TO WITHHOLD FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NYC

The president has criticized Mamdani's mayoral campaign since the self-described democratic socialist defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary in June. Trump refers to Mamdani as a "100% Communist Lunatic" or "my little communist" — a moniker Mamdani rejects.

This summer, after securing the Democratic Party's nomination, Mamdani hosted a week-long "Five Boroughs Against Trump" campaign throughout New York City.

"I'm not a fan of Cuomo one way or the other, but if it's going to be between a bad Democrat and a communist, I'm going to pick that bad Democrat all the time, to be honest with you," Trump said on "60 Minutes."

Mamdani on Monday referenced Trump's aforementioned comments as an endorsement of Cuomo. Trump has refused to endorse Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who is also on the ballot.

"Late last night, Andrew Cuomo received Donald Trump's endorsement," Mamdani claimed. "If elected as mayor, our city will only descend deeper into a darkness that has forced too many of our neighbors to flee and made it impossible for working people to live lives of dignity."

When reached for comment, Cuomo campaign spokesperson Rich Azzopardi told Fox News Digital that Mamdani is "lying" about Trump endorsing the former governor.

Zohran Mamdani speaks during a campaign event outside City Hall in New York City on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"There's only one candidate in this race who has a record of fighting for New York and battling the Trump administration when it was in New York's best interest and winning, and that's Andrew Cuomo. We're not going to let him gaslight his way through Election Day," Azzopardi said.

While Cuomo has the gubernatorial experience of going head-to-head with Trump during his first administration, Mamdani on Monday vowed to create an "alternative" to the Trump administration in City Hall.

"We see Donald Trump make these kinds of threats to this city and to its elected officials on a regular basis," Mamdani said. "The difference that we offer is a movement that will be unbowed by these threats, and we need not look far for an inspiration on how exactly to continue to fight for that which is correct in the city and in this state."

Joined by Trump-foe James, who pleaded not guilty last week to two felony charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, Mamdani said the attorney general "continues to show the courage that New Yorkers are desperate to see in elected officials, a courage to hold everyone to account to the same set of laws."

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One en route to Joint Base Andrews, Nov. 2, 2025. (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)

A judge found The Trump Organization liable for civil fraud last year following James’ lawsuit accusing Trump and his company of inflating assets. She has also filed multiple lawsuits against the Trump administration this year, rejecting his executive orders and seeking to unleash federal funding.

"Donald Trump may speak as if it is his decision, but this is money that this city is owed. This is money that we will expect to collect," Mamdani said Monday.

As Mamdani heads into Election Day, the democratic socialist is positioning himself as the candidate best equipped to challenge Trump, while attempting to connect Cuomo to the president.

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"We have long known that Andrew Cuomo is Donald Trump's puppet in this race. What we did not quite expect is for him to become his parrot in the final days, as well," Mamdani said.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's comment request.