Trump Calls Zohran Mamdani ‘Communist Lunatic,’ Vows to Make NYC ‘Great Again’

US President Donald Trump intensified his verbal assault on New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday, branding him a “communist lunatic” and vowing he would not let him “destroy” the city. In a fiery post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared he would “save New York City” and make it “‘Hot’ and ‘Great’ again.”

The broadside is the latest in a series of escalating attacks against the 33-year-old Mamdani following his surprise victory in last month’s Democratic primary. Trump’s post signaled a deepening personal and political battle with the Indian-origin candidate, stating, “As President of the United States, I’m not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards.”

This follows earlier threats from Trump to arrest Mamdani if he obstructs federal immigration authorities. The conflict stems from Mamdani’s pledge to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting raids and arresting undocumented immigrants in New York. “Well, then we’ll have to arrest him,” Trump had stated when asked about Mamdani’s stance.

Mamdani, who is the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, has refused to be cowed by the threats. He accused the President of abusing his power to crush political dissent. “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 terrorise our city,” Mamdani said in a statement.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani moved to New York at the age of seven and is currently a New York State Assemblyman representing Queens. An affiliate of the Democratic Socialists of America, he secured a stunning primary win over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo with 43.5% of the vote. If he wins the November general election, he will become the first mayor of South Asian descent in the United States.

Mamdani’s progressive platform has been a key feature of his campaign. He has promised sweeping reforms, including a rent freeze for all rent-stabilized tenants, a major push for affordable housing, and making all city buses permanently fare-free.

However, his outspoken views on foreign policy, particularly his strong pro-Palestinian stance and his declaration that he would seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York, have drawn sharp criticism. His past remarks critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have also drawn censure from both the BJP and Congress in India.