Ex-Obama aide: ‘insane’ to think Cuomo is best choice for New York mayor
As we await initial results in New York City’s tight mayoral race, a former aide to Barack Obama questioned the Democratic party’s loyalty to former New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
Speaking on an episode of Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer said it “is really unforgivable” and “insane” that the Democratic party establishment has maintained support for Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace amid sexual harrassment allegations in 2021, rather than support a democratic socialist candidate.
“The idea that we are more scared about a democratic socialist as the mayor of New York than Andrew Cuomo, with his record of corruption and sexual harassment, is insane to me,” he said.
Today’s Democratic mayoral primary has come down to a close race between the former governor and Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist and current state assemblymember.
Key events
Closing summary
Our live coverage is ending now. In the meantime, you can find all of our live US politics coverage here, including coverage of New York City’s mayoral race. Here is a summary of the key developments from today:
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Donald Trump arrived in the Netherlands for the annual Nato summit, where he will meet Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The US president is expected to take a victory lap after a ceasefire and apparent end to the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. But, a preliminary US intelligence report indicates that, contrary to Trump’s insistence that Iran’s capability to build a nuclear bomb was “totally obliterated” by weekend US airstrikes, they did not destroy their targets and in fact set back Iran’s ambitions only “by months”.
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Democrats reacted angrily to the Trump administration’s decision to postpone an all-senators briefing on Iran. Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said in a statement: “Senators deserve full transparency, and the administration has a legal obligation to inform Congress precisely about what is happening. What is the administration so afraid of?”
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New York City residents were headed to the polls in a primary election that is both likely to decide the city’s next mayor and have major political implications for the future of the Democratic party. In a podcast appearance today, a former aid to Barack Obama questioned the Democratic party’s loyalty to former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace amid sexual harrassment allegations in 2021. The race has come down to a close competition between the former governor and Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist and current state assemblymember.
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Testifying before a House health panel today, health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr voiced his skepticism of vaccines and reasoning behind his decision to stop recommending Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women. Earlier today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a report saying evidence does not support a link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, a claim vaccine skeptics have long seized upon. After the hearing, senator Bill Cassidy posted on social media that a meeting of vaccine advisors appointed by Kennedy and scheduled to convene tomorrow should be postponed.
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A panel of judges in New York heard arguments in Trump’s appeal of an $83.3m defamation ruling against him after he was adjudicated to have sexually abused writer E Jean Carroll in the 1990s.
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The Trump administration has approved $30m in funding for the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed group delivering aid to Gaza. Since the foundation began operating last month, Palestinian witnesses and health officials have reported Israeli forces repeatedly shooting at Palestinians seeking aid at the food distribution centers. The organization says it has delivered 44m meals to Palestinians.
As voters cast their ballots in New York City’s mayoral race, Central Park has recorded its hottest temperature in more than a decade.
The official weather station for the city, located in Belvedere Castle in Central Park, hit 99F (37C) this afternoon, the highest temperature it’s recorded since 30 June 2012.
In response to the extreme heat, the city’s emergency management team has shared on social media that it is “leading a full coordinated response to this brutal heat and support Election Day operations”, including opening cooling centers, protecting the electrical grid, and coordinating with the board of elections to keep poll sites open.
Here are some photographs from the historically hot day:
A Republican-backed plan to sell 3,200 sq miles (8,300 sq km) of federal lands violates Senate rules, the chamber’s parliamentarian has found. Senate energy chair and Utah Republican Mike Lee had proposed selling large swaths of public lands for housing or infrastructure.
While environmental advocates celebrated the finding, Lee said he was determined to revise the plan. Posting on social media, he said he was considering an option that would prevent the sale of National Forest Service land and heighten controls on the sale of Bureau of Land Management land.
Embattled New York City mayor Eric Adams says he will vote for himself in today’s primary. The Democrat opted not to run in the city’s Democratic primary and will instead appear on the ballot as an independent in November’s general election.
Adams told New York Daily News reporter Josie Stratman that he plans to write himself in on each of the five ranked-choice voting lines. Adams confirmed that decision on social media.
Last year, Adams was charged with taking bribes and accepting foreign campaign contributions, but the charges were dropped in April after the Trump administration intervened.
Progressive politicians are encouraging New Yorkers to get out and vote for Zohran Mamdani, a state assembly member and democratic socialist narrowly favored to win the city’s Democratic primary today.
“The New York establishment is running scared. Despite spending millions against him, Zohran was ahead in the last poll,” Vermont senator Bernie Sanders posted on social media. “If New Yorkers come out in good numbers today, @ZohranKMamdani can become New York City’s next mayor.”
“Run don’t walk to GO VOTE FOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI FOR NYC Mayor!!!” actor Cynthia Nixon, who ran for New York governor in 2018, posted on social media. She added: “DO NOT RANK TRUMP BILLIONAIRE-FUNDED SEX PREDATOR ANDREW CUOMO.”
Cuomo says he will only rank himself in New York mayoral election
The polls in New York City’s mayoral race don’t close until 9pm eastern time, but many of the Democratic primary candidates have already cast their ballots.
Speaking to News for New York reporter Melissa Russo this afternoon, former governor Andrew Cuomo said he will only rank himself on his ballot.
This year, New York is implementing a ranked-choice voting system in its Democratic primary. Voters can rank five candidates in order of preference.
Democratic socialist candidates Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander made headlines earlier this week when they endorsed each other, recommending their supporters rank the other second on their ballots.
New York City has closed its immigrant arrival center at the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown, which has housed more than 173,000 immigrants since April 2022.
In February, the Trump administration revoked $80m in Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) funding meant to reimburse the city for those housing costs, the Associated Press reports, saying the hotel was overrun with gang activity.
Yesterday, the New York Times reported that Florida was constructing an immigrant detention facility nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz” on a remote airfield in the Everglades to aid the Trump administration in its proposed mass deportations. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told the paper that the facility will cost $450m per year to operate, but that Fema funds could be directed to reduce those costs.
New York City has seen more than 237,000 asylum seekers arrive since April 2022. Currently, the city is housing about 37,000 immigrants, down from a peak of 70,000 in January 2024.
Chris Stein
Democrats are up in arms over the cancellation of classified briefings to Congress scheduled for today, where White House officials were going to inform lawmakers about the bombing raid targeting Iran’s nuclear program.
“What are the facts that the Trump administration is trying to hide? The American people deserve to know the truth,” the Democratic House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, said after the briefings were canceled.
“This last-minute postponement of our briefing is outrageous. It’s evasive. It’s derelict. They’re bobbing and weaving and ducking. Senators deserve full transparency. There is a legal obligation for the administration to inform Congress about precisely what is happening,” said Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat.
It was not immediately cleared why the briefings for all members of the Senate and the House of Representatives were canceled. On X, Republican House speaker Mike Johnson said his chamber’s briefing had been rescheduled to Friday: “I have just confirmed with the White House that the classified bipartisan briefing for all House Members will now be held on Friday. Senior Administration officials will present the latest information pertaining to the situation involving Israel and Iran.”
Spokespeople for the Senate majority leader John Thune did not respond to a request for comment.
Ex-Obama aide: ‘insane’ to think Cuomo is best choice for New York mayor
As we await initial results in New York City’s tight mayoral race, a former aide to Barack Obama questioned the Democratic party’s loyalty to former New York governor Andrew Cuomo.
Speaking on an episode of Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer said it “is really unforgivable” and “insane” that the Democratic party establishment has maintained support for Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace amid sexual harrassment allegations in 2021, rather than support a democratic socialist candidate.
“The idea that we are more scared about a democratic socialist as the mayor of New York than Andrew Cuomo, with his record of corruption and sexual harassment, is insane to me,” he said.
Today’s Democratic mayoral primary has come down to a close race between the former governor and Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic socialist and current state assemblymember.
Testifying before a House health panel today, health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. voiced his skeptism of vaccines and reasoning behind his decision to stop recommending Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women, Politico reports.
“How can you mandate – which effectively is what they do — these products to healthy children without knowing the risk profile?” Kennedy said, explaining his decision to fire and replace members of a vaccine advisory panel.
Democratic congresswoman Kim Schrier accused Kennedy of lying to senator Bill Cassidy when he promised not to make any changes to the advisory group, The Hill reports.
Kennedy addeed that “study after study shows adverse effects” of receiving a Covid-19 vaccine during pregnancy. Public health experts say that’s not true.
Earlier today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a report saying evidence does not support a link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, a claim vaccine skeptics have long seized upon.
Trump administration approves $30m for Israeli-backed group handling Gaza aid
The Trump administration has approved $30m in funding for the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed group delivering aid to Gaza, according to Reuters and the Associated Press. Since the foundation began operating last month, Palestinian witnesses and health officials have reported Israeli forces repeatedly shooting at Palestinians seeking aid at the food distribution centers. The organization says it has delivered 44m meals to Palestinians.
According to a document Reuters reviewed, the $30m grant was authorized on Friday under a “priority directive” from the White House and state department, and a $7m had already been disbursed.
Good afternoon, I’m Cecilia Nowell taking over for my colleague Richard Luscombe.
Donald Trump has arrived in the Netherlands for the annual Nato summit. After taking the annual Nato family photo outside Dutch King Willem-Alexander’s Huis Ten Bosch palance, Trump and his fellow heads of state headed inside for dinner.
The Dutch King singled Trump out for a greeting after the photograph (the two were stationed beside one another), telling him: “It means so much to us to welcome you in our home tonight. We cherish the bonds of friendship that will always unite our nations.”
We’re not expecting much more news out of the Nato summit this evening, but I’ll be bringing you the other headlines from the United States, including any early takeaways from the ongoing New York City mayoral race.
Summary of the day so far
I’m handing over to my west coast colleague Cecilia Nowell to lead you through the rest of the day’s political developments. Thanks for joining me.
Here’s what we’ve been following:
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Donald Trump arrived in the Netherlands for the annual Nato summit. The US president is expected to take a victory lap after a ceasefire and apparent end to the 12-day war between Israel and Iran.
-
But according to CNN, a preliminary US intelligence report indicates that, contrary to Trump’s insistence that Iran’s capability to build a nuclear bomb was “totally obliterated” by weekend US airstrikes, they did not destroy their targets and in fact set back Iran’s ambitions only “by months”.
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Trump will meet Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in The Hague. Zelenskyy is expected to press Trump on more support from the US, and Nato, as his country’s three-year war with Russia continues.
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Democrats reacted angrily to the Trump administration’s decision to postpone an all-senators briefing on Iran. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement: “Senators deserve full transparency, and the administration has a legal obligation to inform Congress precisely about what is happening. What is the administration so afraid of?”
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New York City residents were headed to the polls in a primary election that is both likely to decide the city’s next mayor and have major political implications for the future of the Democratic party.
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House speaker Mike Johnson said that the War Powers Act designed to check a US president’s ability to commit US forces to military action without congressional consent is unconstitutional.
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Trump was continuing to feud with Republican Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie, who opposed the president’s decision to launch airstrikes in Iran at the weekend without congressional approval.
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Authorities said that federal immigration agents arrested 11 Iranian nationals who were in the US illegally.
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The Fed Chair Jerome Powell defied Trump and says that rate hikes can wait.
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US senators were wrangling over the future of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill”, for which an unofficial 4 July deadline has been set.
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A panel of judges in New York were hearing arguments in Trump’s appeal of an $83.3m defamation ruling against him after he was adjudicated to have sexually abused writer E Jean Carroll in the 1990s.
White House denies intelligence report that Iran strikes were a flop
The White House has dismissed as “flat out wrong” a leaked intelligence report that claims US airstrikes at the weekend set back Iran’s nuclear program only “by months”.
The preliminary assessment by one US intelligence agency of the attacks on three Iranian nuclear enrichment sites, reported by CNN, indicates that the targets were not destroyed, as Donald Trump and other administration officials have insisted.
The assessment was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s intelligence arm, the news outlet said, citing three unnamed sources. It is based on a battle damage assessment conducted by US Central Command in the aftermath of the US strikes, CNN reported one of the sources as saying.
The assessment is ongoing and could change, CNN said.
In an address to the nation on Sunday night, Trump stated: “I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.”
Two of the sources, however, said Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed, and the third said the country’s centrifuges were largely “intact”.
“So the (DIA) assessment is that the US set them back maybe a few months, tops,” the source said.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report as “a clear attempt to demean President Trump and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission”.
She said in a statement to CNN:
This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community.
Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.
Trump expected to meet Zelenskyy while in Europe
Donald Trump is expected to meet Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his short stay in the Netherlands.
The two clashed in a fiery meeting at the White House in February, when US vice-president JD Vance belittled Zelenskyy for not thanking Trump for his support for Ukraine as it tried to repel Russia’s invasion; and Trump warned Ukraine’s leader he was “gambling with world war three”.
Ukraine is not part of Nato, so Zelenskyy will not take part in the Nato summit. But he could meet Trump as early as Tuesday night, sources said.
According to Reuters, Zelenskyy has said he wants to discuss with Trump substantial purchases of weaponry including Patriot missile defense systems as well as sanctions and other ways to put pressure on Russia’s president Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy warned European Nato members on Tuesday that they risked being attacked by Russia if it was not defeated in its three-year war with Ukraine.
“Russia is even planning new military operations on Nato territory,” he told a defense industry event on the sidelines of the summit.
Trump casts doubt on commitment to defending Nato partners
Before landing in Amsterdam, Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One, the president apparently casting doubt on the US commitment to defend Nato partners.
The Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said Tuesday that he had no doubt that Trump was committed to the alliance’s Article 5 mutual defense clause.
But according to Reuters, Trump told the press gaggle that there were “numerous” definitions to the cornerstone of the defense pact.
Asked if he was committed to Article 5, Trump responded: “I’m committed to saving lives. I’m committed to life and safety. And I’m going to give you an exact definition when I get there.”
Here’s Donald Trump descending the steps of Air Force One in Amsterdam on Wednesday after his arrival for Nato’s annual summit in the Netherlands.
He’s on his way to The Hague, where he will be greeted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, and attend a private dinner they are hosting for Nato leaders.
While we wait for more news of Donald Trump’s arrival in Europe for the Nato summit in the Netherlands, the Guardian’s exclusive interview with Mark Rutte, secretary general of the alliance, is worth a read.
Rutte tells my colleagues Pjotr Sauer and Dan Sabbagh in The Hague that it was “not a difficult thing” to get members to agree to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP because of the rising threat from Russia – and stressed that Trump remained “absolutely” committed to supporting the alliance”.
Rutte said that all 32 Nato members had agreed to increase defense spending because “there is so much at stake” after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine:
The security situation has changed so much, and people know that when the call comes [in the event an attack on a Nato member] … you now need to deliver to the collective endeavor, what you promised, that you better have your stuff there.
Read the full report here:
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