Andrew Yang poses with ‘Naked Cowboy’ who was spotted at Trump’s pre-Capitol riot rally

The street performer approached the candidate for the impromptu meeting

The Naked Cowboy wasn't the only one caught with his pants down in Times Square.

New York mayoral hopeful Andrew Yang posed for a photo op with the city's iconic street performer only to learn too late he was an avid Donald Trump supporter who was spotted at the ex-president's Save America Rally in Washington DC on 6 January.

The moment was chronicled by City & State NY reporter Jeff Coltin on Twitter, who says he told Mr Yang that the Naked Cowboy, who approached the candidate in Times Squares, was at the Capitol rally.

“Really? *Our* Naked Cowboy? What is he doing?! Agh. I had no idea,” Mr Yang reportedly said in response.

The Independent has reached out to the office of Mr Yang for comment.

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While the Naked Cowboy, real name Robert Burck, was published in photographs at the 6 January rally in Washington DC by The New York Post andOK Magazine, there was no suggestion he participated in the siege of the US Capitol building.

Mr Yang was quickly criticized online for posing with the Trump-supporting New Yorker.

Mr Burck, himself a former mayoral hopeful before dropping out of the 2009 race, said he gave Mr Yang his "100 per cent" endorsement.

“...and of course, I don’t like de Blasio,” he said of the current mayor, Bill de Blasio.

Mr Burck had planned on running for New York's top job in 2009 but dropped out six weeks after declaring his intention to contest the election, which was ultimately won by Michael Bloomberg.

He cited bureaucracy, conflict-of-interest rules, financial disclosure forms, and threats of fines and from the city's Conflicts of Interest Board.

“What I want to do is stick with what I do best,” he told The New York Times in 2009. “It’s probably why I look like a naked cowboy, and Mayor Bloomberg looks like a mayor.”

While his political career stalled out, his naked busking has continued across the country. He was most recently arrested at the annual Bike Week festival in Daytona Beach for allegedly resisting arrest without violence and ordinance against aggressive panhandling.

Police Chief Jakari Young said in a tweet that he made "disgraceful homophobic and racist comments" during the arrests. Mr Young said in a statement that a person's "celebrity status" does not exempt them from the law.

"Mr Burck was arrested as a result of his own actions. Had he complied when the officers initially made contact with him, he would have been free to go and enjoy the rest of his evening," the statement said.