In a heated exchange, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized Zohran Mamdani, a New York mayoral candidate, for insinuating a connection between President Donald Trump and bomb threats on Election Day. As voters across the nation, including New York City, cast their ballots for the mayoral elections, Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, appeared to link the former president to threats targeting polling stations.

During a campaign stop, Mamdani was questioned about the bomb threats affecting multiple polling sites in New Jersey. He responded by expressing concern and framing the threats as a reflection of broader assaults on democracy. “It’s incredibly concerning, and I think that it is an illustration of the attacks we’re seeing on our democracy,” Mamdani stated. He further suggested these actions align with the Trump administration’s alleged efforts to intimidate voters through unfounded claims of voter fraud, aimed at silencing American voices.

‘I think this is just another example of how the Democrat Party unfortunately stands for nothing. All they stand against is President Donald Trump.’ The 28-year-old press secretary continued: ‘It’s quite sad to see that we have someone at the top of the ticket on an election day today saying such things about the president when he obviously had absolutely nothing to do with those threats.’ Several polling precincts in northern New Jersey were closed Tuesday due to credible threats, according to local authorities.

‘Law enforcement responded to threats that were received by email,’ in seven different counties, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin wrote in a statement on X. Some of the locations were quickly cleared and reopened, according to authorities. Trump, meanwhile, has spent the day launching salvos at Mamdani and other Democratic candidates on his Truth Social app.

‘Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!’ the 79-year-old Republican president wrote on social media. The president has recommended that New York City voters back former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the race. ‘Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job,’ Trump wrote on Tuesday.

The ex-governor resigned in disgrace in 2022 after being accused of sexual harassment. Cuomo has also been dogged by his terrible decision to mix COVID-positive patients in New York nursing homes during the pandemic. Both instances have led to him trailing in the polls by double digits.

Still, if Mamdani does win, which it seems likely, Trump is threatening to pull federal funds from the city. ‘If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!’