US President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on Zohran Mamdani, the surprise winner of New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, labelling the progressive politician a “pure communist” and “radical lunatic” in an interview broadcast on Sunday.
Mamdani’s unexpected triumph over disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party and drew immediate fire from Trump and his allies, who accused the 33-year-old state assemblyman of representing an extremist fringe.
“He’s pure communist,” Trump said on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. “I think it’s very bad for New York,” he added, warning that if Mamdani wins the mayoralty, his administration would not receive federal support under a Trump presidency unless he “does the right thing.”
The Republican frontrunner for the 2024 election has frequently threatened to withhold federal funding from Democrat-led cities, particularly those that adopt progressive policies such as sanctuary protections for undocumented migrants.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and son of Ugandan and Indian immigrants, appeared on rival programmes the same day to defend his stance, promising to uphold New York’s sanctuary city status and push for reforms including lower rents, free daycare, and public buses.
When asked on NBC’s Meet the Press whether he identifies as a communist, Mamdani replied firmly, “No, I am not.”
Mamdani is campaigning on a platform centred around working-class empowerment and combating inequality in one of the world’s most expensive cities. Though he trailed Cuomo in early polling, his message resonated with a younger, more progressive electorate.
Victory in November is far from guaranteed despite the city’s heavy Democratic leanings. Sitting Mayor Eric Adams, also a Democrat, is seeking re-election as an independent, while Cuomo is reportedly considering an unaffiliated bid of his own.
