Cuomo says he'd turn down Trump endorsement

New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo said in an interview Thursday that he would not accept an endorsement from President Trump if offered one, but he would accept the backing of incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who recently dropped out of the race.

“No, the tent isn't that big, Kristen. That's the limitation,” the independent candidate told NBC’s “Meet the Press NOW” moderator Kristen Welker. “I have not had a conversation, nor would I accept an endorsement from President Trump.”

Cuomo added later that he did not think they needed “to inject President Trump into this election."

However, the former New York governor said he welcomed the support of Adams as the mayoral race draws toward a close in roughly a month.

“Yes, I would welcome his support. You know, this is a general election, it's Democrats, Republicans, independents. I would welcome the mayor's support,” Cuomo said. 

“I'd welcome big tent support. And the mayor obviously has experience, great deal of experience, not just as mayor of New York. I worked with him in Albany,” he continued. “He was a state senator, so we know each other a long time. I'd welcome his support.”

Cuomo, New York City Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and Republican Curtis Sliwa are running to succeed Adams in November. The New York City mayor, embroiled in controversy and low approval ratings, announced earlier this week he would be ending his reelection bid. 

But Cuomo, who resigned from the governor’s mansion in 2021 in the wake of sexual harassment allegations — which he has denied — has a tough uphill climb beating Mamdani.

A polling average from Decision Desk HQ of the New York City mayoral race, which still has Adams’s included, showed Mamdani at 45 percent, Cuomo at 27 percent, Sliwa at 12 percent and Adams at 8 percent.

Even if Adams’s support completely coalesced behind Cuomo, the former New York governor would still trail Mamdani in the Decision Desk HQ’s polling average 35 percent to 45 percent.