By 5 Towns Central Staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 11, 2026)

President Donald Trump says he is exploring whether the federal government has any legal authority to intervene against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s proposed tax on high-value properties owned by people whose primary residences are outside the city.

In a Tuesday social media post, Trump sharply criticized the measure, describing it as a “dangerous political experiment” that he warned could have serious economic and social consequences for New York.

“This doesn’t work in America, and must be stopped, NOW!” Trump wrote, adding that he was examining whether the federal government has “any legal right to avert this disaster.”

The dispute centers on New York City’s new pied-à-terre tax, which targets certain high-value properties that are not the owner’s primary residence in the city. The measure would apply to one-, two- and three-family homes valued above $5 million, as well as condominium and cooperative apartments valued at $1 million or more when the owner’s primary home is located outside New York City.

Mamdani has promoted the tax as a way to generate additional revenue from wealthy property owners, while critics argue it could discourage investment, push affluent homeowners out of the city and further pressure New York’s already expensive housing market.

Trump’s comments open the door to a potential clash between the federal government and City Hall over a tax policy that is ordinarily controlled by state and local authorities. Whether Washington has any constitutional or statutory power to block the measure remains an open legal question.