Washington (Parliament Politics Magazine) – US President Donald Trump calls Democrat Zohran Mamdani’s NYC win “very dangerous,” urging the new mayor to be more respectful of Washington.
As reported by The Telegraph, Donald Trump described Zohran Mamdani’s post-election speech as “very dangerous” after he won New York City’s mayoral race.
The 34-year-old Democrat celebrated his election win on 4 November, directly addressing President Trump in his acceptance speech, telling him to “turn the volume up” and that “to reach them, he would have to get through everyone.”
Mr Mamdani received over 1 million votes in the 2025 New York City mayoral election, becoming the first mayoral candidate in the city since 1969 to exceed that mark.
How did President Trump respond to NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s speech?
President Trump said the new mayor must be more
“respectful of Washington. I would like to see the new mayor do well, because I love New York.”
He said,
“I think it’s a very dangerous statement for him to make. He has to be a little bit respectful of Washington, because if he’s not, he doesn’t have a chance of succeeding.”
When questioned if he had reached out to Mr Mamdani, President Trump replied,
“We’ll see what happens. But I think it would be more appropriate for him to reach out to us.”
Mr Mamdani secured more than 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s election, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Mr Trump backed Andrew Cuomo, spending months calling Mr Mamdani a “communist” and warning he would withhold federal funding if elected.
The president Trump posted on Truth Social,
“It is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home, because of the fact that, as a Communist, this once great City has ZERO chance of success, or even survival!”
He said,
“It can only get worse with a Communist at the helm, and I don’t want to send, as President, good money after bad.”
Mr Trump has avoided taking responsibility for this week’s elections, where Republicans lost governor races in New Jersey and Virginia.
The president attributed the losses to not being on the ballot and also criticized Republicans for failing to address the cost-of-living issue.
He added,
“I think they [costs] are coming down. I think they’re down already. I think the biggest problem is Republicans don’t talk about it. They don’t talk about the word ‘affordability’, and Democrats lie about it.”
What did Zohran Mamdani say in his historic NYC victory speech?
Zohran Mamdani stated,
“The sun may have set over city this evening but as Eugene Debbs once said, ‘I can see the dawn of a better day for humanity.’”
He said,
“For as long as we can remember the working people of New York have been told by the wealthy and the well-connected that the power does not belong in their hands… and yet over the last 12 months, you have dared to reach for something greater.”
Commenting on his defeat of Andrew Cuomo, newly elect mayor added,
“Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it. The future is in our hands. My friends, we have toppled a political dynasty.”
He continued,
“I wish Andrew Cuomo only the best in private life. But let tonight be the last time I utter his name.”
Mr Mamdani said,
“Thank you to the next generation of New Yorkers who refused to accept that the promise of a better future was a relic of the past.”
Referring to Donald Trump he stated,
“If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him,” the Democrat continues. If there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.”
Mr Mamdani said,
“So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up.”
The Democrat told supporters,
“Hear me, President Trump: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
What recent elections reveal about Donald Trump’s coalition and midterm prospects?
The White House confirmed in October that the federal government would freeze funding for New York transport projects.
Experts said the election results mark the first challenge of Mr Trump’s second term and hint at next year’s key midterm elections.
Election outcomes in Virginia and New Jersey showed significant gains for Democrats, while both states had supported President Trump last year.
How mayoral elections are held in the new york?
In New York City, mayoral elections use two different voting systems depending on the election type. These use ranked-choice voting, where voters can rank multiple candidates in order of preference.
These use the first-past-the-post system, where the candidate with the most votes wins, even if it’s not a majority.