President Donald Trump's Threat to Cut Off Federal Funds: A Constitutional Conundrum
Hours before polls closed in New York City's mayoral race, President Trump backed Andrew Cuomo and warned Mamdani of potential cuts if he wins. If Mamdani takes office, it is likely that federal funding will dry up for the city due to Trump's threat.
Trump had previously hinted at this during his 60 Minutes interview on CBS News, calling Mamdani a "communist" and stating that sending money to New York would be hard if he wins. However, experts argue that such actions are unconstitutional.
Under Article I of Section 8 of the US Constitution, Congress has the authority to decide how federal funds are allocated to states, not the president. Trump's threat to withhold funding is an example of impoundment on his part, which would be considered an unconstitutional act if he does not follow through with congressional decisions made by law.
The Impoundment Control Act allows the president to withhold funds for 45 days, but Congress must approve such a decision. Given the current party balance in Congress, it is unlikely that Trump's actions will be approved by both parties.
Trump's threat also raises questions about Cuomo's eligibility for funding. As an independent candidate, Cuomo initially lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani and has a history of scandals, including allegations of sexual harassment. The New York City Campaign Finance Board found his campaign had not provided digital donation records, resulting in nearly $3m worth of public funds being denied.
New York City's dependence on federal funding is significant, with a report showing that the city will require $7.4bn in federal funding for the fiscal year 2026. However, Trump's actions are likely to have a devastating impact on the city's budget, with potential cuts estimated at up to $400m in the fiscal year 2025.
In conclusion, while Trump's threat to cut off federal funds may seem like an empty boast given his own history of controversy, it is essential to examine the constitutional implications of such actions. If Mamdani takes office and federal funding dries up, New York City will likely face severe economic and social consequences.
Hours before polls closed in New York City's mayoral race, President Trump backed Andrew Cuomo and warned Mamdani of potential cuts if he wins. If Mamdani takes office, it is likely that federal funding will dry up for the city due to Trump's threat.
Trump had previously hinted at this during his 60 Minutes interview on CBS News, calling Mamdani a "communist" and stating that sending money to New York would be hard if he wins. However, experts argue that such actions are unconstitutional.
Under Article I of Section 8 of the US Constitution, Congress has the authority to decide how federal funds are allocated to states, not the president. Trump's threat to withhold funding is an example of impoundment on his part, which would be considered an unconstitutional act if he does not follow through with congressional decisions made by law.
The Impoundment Control Act allows the president to withhold funds for 45 days, but Congress must approve such a decision. Given the current party balance in Congress, it is unlikely that Trump's actions will be approved by both parties.
Trump's threat also raises questions about Cuomo's eligibility for funding. As an independent candidate, Cuomo initially lost the Democratic primary to Mamdani and has a history of scandals, including allegations of sexual harassment. The New York City Campaign Finance Board found his campaign had not provided digital donation records, resulting in nearly $3m worth of public funds being denied.
New York City's dependence on federal funding is significant, with a report showing that the city will require $7.4bn in federal funding for the fiscal year 2026. However, Trump's actions are likely to have a devastating impact on the city's budget, with potential cuts estimated at up to $400m in the fiscal year 2025.
In conclusion, while Trump's threat to cut off federal funds may seem like an empty boast given his own history of controversy, it is essential to examine the constitutional implications of such actions. If Mamdani takes office and federal funding dries up, New York City will likely face severe economic and social consequences.
Trump threatening to cut off NY's funds just 'cause Mamdani might win? that's some shady stuff right there. I mean, i get it, politicians can be all emotional about things but come on, don't mess with the city's budget like that. 
And what's with the "communist" label for Mamdani? sounds like a total straw man argument to me 
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. and what's with the Impoundment Control Act being all one-sided? sounds like trump's trying to strong-arm congress into backing him up 
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. but at the end of the day, this whole thing is just a mess. NY city needs federal funding, plain and simple 
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. I mean, who does he think he is? Newsflash, Donald: you can't just unilaterally decide how federal funds are allocated 
. That's Congress's job, not yours. And if he tries to impound funds without Congressional approval, that's an unconstitutional act 
. What really gets me is the fact that Cuomo's own campaign has been plagued by scandals and he's trying to get funding anyway 
. It's like, can't we all just get along 
? The thought of $400m in cuts is devastating 
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i'm lowkey scared for the city's budget tho... $400m in cuts would be HUGE 
Cuomo might not b the most ideal candidate but at least he didn't get his start from trump btw Mamdani is looking good, let's keep supporting him! 
. I'm worried about how this is gonna affect the city, $400m is a huge chunk of change 
. Like, I get it, he wants to throw some shade at Cuomo's past shenanigans, but withholding funding is a whole different story 
. The fact that he's basically trying to impound funds without Congress's approval is super problematic 
. I mean, the city's already struggling with debt and pension funds 
. Plus, what about all the services they provide - healthcare, education, infrastructure? How's that gonna get funded 
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. Cuomo's got enough baggage already, no need to make things worse 
. And what about all those people who rely on NYC's federal funding? It's gonna be a real mess if Trump pulls through 
Newsflash: Congress calls the shots on funding, not him 
️ if he follows through on it 
. if congress is in control of allocating funds, then why is he trying to do his own thing? and what's with calling mamdani a "communist" anyway? sounds like just another example of trump being petty 
. Trump's threat to cut off federal funds just before a major election in NYC? It's like he's trying to stir up trouble. I mean, what's the real motive here? Is it really about the funding or is there something more to it? Maybe Cuomo has some dirt on Mamdani and Trump wants to discredit him?
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$400m cut would be huge 
what's next? him trying to control the mayor's every move 
source pls?