President Donald Trump on Tuesday decried New York City's pied-à-terre tax on nonprimary residences of wealthy owners and said he is exploring whether the federal government has legal authority to intervene and block the policy.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the tax a "disaster" and "dangerous political 'experiment'" that "doesn't work in America, and must be stopped." He said he is looking to see "if the federal government has any legal right to avert this disaster, before it is too late."
The tax was pushed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and passed by the New York State legislature. It targets nonprimary residences owned by wealthy individuals in the city.
Trump claimed the tax is costing New York "a fortune" by driving residents and their tax revenue to Florida and Texas. He argued that the loss of revenue from departing residents would exceed the amount collected through the pied-à-terre tax itself.
"It is pure Amateur Hour, and it's hard, as President of the United States of America, to sit back and watch it happen, especially to a place I once loved," Trump wrote.
Trump's statement came one day after a Staten Island judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Mamdani administration from implementing the new policy. That court order was subsequently paused, according to officials.
The pied-à-terre tax has become a point of contention between the Trump administration and New York City leadership. Trump's call for federal intervention represents an escalation in his opposition to the measure and signals potential legal challenges ahead.