Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is challenging President Trump to face off in a televised debate — calling out the White House for trying to get involved in the heated race.
The dare came after ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo called on the Queens socialist to debate him five times — once in each borough — during a press conference Thursday.
“Let’s cut out the middle man,” Mamdani told The Post. “Why should I debate Donald Trump’s puppet when I could debate Donald Trump himself?”
Mamdani, who beat Cuomo in the June Democratic primary, accused Trump of trying to meddle in the election, rehashing claims that the two men had talked over the phone about the mayoral race.
Sources also said Wednesday that White House officials were mulling possible job offers in the administration for Mayor Eric Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa in an effort to get them to drop out.
That would arguably give Cuomo, the highest-polling contender after Mamdani, a leg up to beat the far-left lawmaker in the crowded November contest.
“If Donald Trump is serious about intervening in the mayoral race, he should come to New York City and debate me directly about why he’s cutting SNAP benefits for hungry New Yorkers to give tax breaks to his wealthy donors,” said the DSA candidate.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cuomo, earlier Thursday, ripped Mamdani for refusing to take part in mic-fights being floated by PIX11 and CBS News.
“New Yorkers deserve answers. I challenge him to five debates, one in every borough where we speak about the issues in that borough,” he declared.
But Cuomo brushed off questions by PIX11 about whether he’d participate in a debate with just Sliwa and Adams.
“You know my position, and you know Eric Adams’ position, and you know Curtis Sliwa’s position,” Cuomo said.
Mamdani told voters in a video Wednesday that he would not be participating in debates outside of the two scheduled by the city’s Campaign Finance Board for October.
“In the meantime, I won’t be at this televised circus,” Mamdani said.
