Troops not welcome in New York: Mayoral candidates all oppose Trump deployments

President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to major U.S. cities was the focus of the New York City Hall debate Thursday evening.

During Thursday night’s debate, the candidates, Democrat Zohran Mamdani, former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, were asked about the “threat to the city” posed by National Guard troops sent to New York. All three candidates have indicated they would oppose sending troops to the city.

“If the president ordered troops into the streets of New York right now, what would your reaction be?” » asked a moderator.

“We don’t need the National Guard here in New York,” Mamdani responded.

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

From left, mayoral candidates, independent candidate, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a town hall debate, Thursday, October 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, swimming pool)

“If it was security that President Trump was so concerned about, he would send them to the eight out of 10 states that have the highest crime levels in this country. But he won’t do that because they are all run by Republicans,” he said.

“What New Yorkers need is a mayor who can stand up to Donald Trump and actually provide that security,” he continued. “When Donald Trump sent ICE agents on the people of Los Angeles, Andrew Cuomo said New Yorkers don’t need to overreact. That’s the most extreme response New Yorkers are looking for. They’re looking for someone who will lead, someone who will say they’ll support them, someone who will actually fight for the people of this city.”

Cuomo, meanwhile, said “the answer in the subways is not more National Guard” but rather “more NYPD is the answer.”

ZOHRAN MAMDANI LEVELS COUNTERPROPOSAL AFTER CUOMO CHALLENGES HIM TO DEBATES IN ALL 5 NYC BOROUGHS

Members of the District of Columbia National Guard, standing next to an MATV vehicle, scan the area as they patrol outside Union Station, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/José Luis Magana)

He said Trump “is not sending the National Guard to perform a real function. It’s control. It’s power.”

“He’s trying to say that these Democrats don’t know how to run these cities and that it’s a political move to send in the National Guard,” he continued, adding that if Mamdani is elected, Trump “will take over New York. Forget the National Guard.”

Sliwa also said, “There is no need for the National Guard in New York” and “there are other cities that could desperately need their help with their crime crisis.”

HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU MISSED FROM ZOHRAN MAMDANI’S FIRST INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS

Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, speaks during a town hall debate with Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, swimming pool)

When asked by a show of hands if there were any circumstances under which they would allow the New York Police Department to cooperate with the National Guard troops sent by Trump, neither candidate raised their hand.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

With less than three weeks until Election Day, Mamdani holds a double-digit lead in the race for the nation’s most populous city, but former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is narrowing the gap, according to the latest public polling.

Mamdani has 46% support among likely voters in the most recent poll on the race, conducted by Quinnipiac University. Cuomo had 33% support in the poll and Sliwa had 15% in the poll.

Paul Steinhauser, Andrew Mark Miller and Deirdre Heavey of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.