Zohran Mamdani isn’t backing down — not even when the threat comes from the Oval Office.
After Donald Trump publicly floated the idea of deporting him, the Democratic nominee for NYC mayor is hitting back hard.
Trump on edge
Zohran Mamdani is the breakout political name everyone’s suddenly talking about.
Just a week ago, the 33-year-old Democratic Socialist from Queens was barely known outside of New York. Now, he’s being hailed as the next big hope for the Democratic Party after pulling off a shocking upset in the NYC mayoral primary, defeating party favorite Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and is Muslim, is pushing bold, Bernie Sanders-style policies like a $30 minimum wage, free public buses, universal preschool, and taxing the ultra-wealthy to pay for it all. His sudden rise has both the Democratic establishment and Donald Trump on edge.
“100% Communist Lunatic”
On Truth Social, Trump didn’t hold back, labeling Mamdani as “a 100% Communist Lunatic.” In a follow-up interview with Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, the president made it clear he intended to use his influence if Mamdani gains power: “If he does get in, I’m going to be president, and he’s going to have to do the right thing or they’re not getting any money, he’s got to do the right thing.”
Mamdani responded during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, saying he’s already coming to terms with the personal nature of the attacks.
“I have already had to start to get used to, get used to the fact that the president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I’m from, who I am, ultimately, because he wants to distract from what I’m fighting for, and I’m fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower, that he has since then betrayed.”
”We might have to arrest him..”
At a press conference in Ochopee, Florida, after touring the new “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center, Donald Trump attacked Zohran Mamdani once again when asked about Mamdani’s bold opposition to ICE raids.
“If he’s going to stand in the way, we might have to arrest him,” Trump said bluntly.
“We don’t need a communist running around in this country. And if we’ve got one, I’ll be keeping a close eye on him — for the good of the nation.”
Trump went on to suggest that Mamdani’s legitimacy should be investigated, hinting at possible immigration issues. Mamdani, born to Indian parents, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.
“We send him support, we send him the resources he needs to govern… but now people are saying he might not even be here legally. We’re going to check everything. Hopefully, he turns out to be less of a communist than he seems. But right now? That’s not socialism. That’s straight-up communism.”
The remarks sparked immediate backlash — and only added fuel to the growing spotlight on Mamdani’s rapidly rising profile.
Mamdani’s warning
Zohran Mamdani, a prominent member of the Democratic Socialists of America —the largest socialist organization in the United States — fired back after being targeted by President Trump with threats of arrest and deportation.
In a powerful statement, Mamdani said, “The president of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city.”
He didn’t stop there. The Queens Assemblyman warned that this wasn’t just a personal attack — it was a broader attempt to silence dissent:
“His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation.”
Mamdani also criticized current New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for reelection as an independent, for echoing Trump’s rhetoric:
“At the very moment when MAGA Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of healthcare and enrich their billionaire donors at the expense of working families, it is a scandal that Eric Adams echoes this president’s division, distraction and hate. Voters will resoundingly reject it in November.”
Mayor Adams, meanwhile, accused Mamdani of “being born with a silver spoon in his mouth,” while Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles said, “Bye bye, little muhammad! If you lied on your N-400 naturalization forms, you’re going home.”
