President Trump says NYC's new pied-à-terre tax "must be stopped, NOW!"

President Trump is weighing in on New York City's new pied-à-terre tax.

Mr. Trump says he wants to torpedo the tax on second homes of wealthy people who don't live in New York City full time and own second homes here valued at over $5 million, or co-ops or condos valued at over $1 million.

The president votes in Florida, where his primary residence is Mar-a-Lago. He owns a second home in Trump Tower that real estate experts have said is worth between $54 million and $65 million, although Mr. Trump said in the past it is worth more than $300 million.

Now Mr. Trump says he's looking to find a way to kill the pied-à-terre tax.

"This doesn't work in America, and must be stopped, NOW!" the president wrote on social media. "I am looking to see if the Federal Government has any legal right to avert this disaster, before it is too late, for the millions of people who cherish New York and want to see it thrive, as opposed to becoming a filthy, crime ridden, decrepit place of mockery and scorn."

Legal experts question the president's motive.

"Sure, this is sour grapes and sure, he's entitled to express his dismay. What he's not entitled to do is dictate tax policy to the state of New York," Hofstra University law professor James Sample said.

Sample said the law is clear that New York, not the feds, can tax local property.

"It is an empty threat because the president and the federal government writ large lack authority over the state of New York in this regard," Sample said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul hatched the idea of the tax to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani out of a budget bind.

"I believe that in the state of New York, if you have a $5 million second home that you should be able to afford to pay for police, fire, and trash moving," Hochul said. "Donald Trump ought to focus on all the pains he's causing New Yorkers, and knock it off, and don't worry about us."