Us Attack On Iran Creates Dividing Line In Final Days Of New York Mayoral Race

NEW YORK — New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani condemned the United States’ bombing campaign in Iran Saturday, while rival Andrew Cuomo raised red flags about the Middle-Eastern country.

The split-screen reactions were the latest indication of the diametrically opposed worldviews of the top contenders heading into Tuesday’s Democratic primary, in a race that’s featured Israeli politics.

“These actions are the result of a political establishment that would rather spend trillions of dollars on weapons than lift millions out of poverty, launch endless wars while silencing calls for peace, and fearmonger about outsiders while billionaires hollow out our democracy from within,” Mamdani — a staunch critic of Israel — posted on X Saturday, shortly after President Donald Trump gave a national address explaining his decision to join in Israel’s attack on Iran.

After initially declining to answer a question about Iran outside a Brooklyn church Sunday morning, Cuomo later addressed the subject with reporters in Midtown.

“Iran cannot have nuclear capability. That's number one,” he said. “It's dangerous, not only for the region, it's dangerous internationally. It's dangerous for the United States.”

Despite the animus, they two agreed Trump abused his authority by not seeking the authorization of Congress before approving the bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites.

“Donald Trump ran for President promising to end wars, not start new ones,” Mamdani said in his statement. “Today’s unconstitutional military action represents a new, dark chapter in his endless series of betrayals that now threaten to plunge the world deeper into chaos.”

Cuomo told reporters Sunday he supported taking out Iran’s nuclear facilities, but not Trump’s decision to do so unilaterally.

“I don't support the way he did it. I do believe he should have consulted Congress,” Cuomo said. “I believe this is more of the same: This is Trump saying I don't have to follow the rules.”

The former governor also said New Yorkers should get ready for a retaliation from Iran and said he would be on high alert for an attack at an airport, for example.

“Who do you want in charge in that situation?” he asked, suggesting he would be the best candidate to respond. “Who's handled situations like hurricane Sandy and COVID and terrorist threats? This is not a job for on-the-job training.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams said he and his team met with NYPD liaisons posted in Middle Eastern countries, including Israel, to discuss the potential fallout of the bombing.

The mayor likened the situation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and said the city was on watch to make sure the conflict did not manifest among the various communities living in the five boroughs with a stake in the fate of the Middle East.

“We will keep New Yorkers updated as we move forward, but at this time there is no one, clear, credible threat,” he said.

While voters rank affordability and public safety among their top concerns, the Israel-Hamas war has nevertheless become a flashpoint in the New York City mayoral race. Cuomo readily campaigns against antisemitism, criticizes his opponents who haven’t visited Israel and is backed by major Orthodox Jewish leaders. On Sunday, he campaigned in the religious Borough Park section of Brooklyn as GOTV weekend came to a close.

A super PAC supporting him has spent millions of dollars going after Mamdani — who would become the city’s first Muslim mayor — in ads and mailers, many of which call him antisemitic. Mamdani rejects those claims and says the PAC has engaged in bigotry.

Jeff Coltin contributed to this report.