NEW YORK: United States President Donald Trump has suggested he is open to assisting New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, but cautioned that the trailblazing democratic socialist must “be respectful of Washington” if he wants to succeed.
Trump made the remarks on Wednesday as Mamdani unveiled his transition team following his historic election as the first Muslim and first South Asian mayor of the United States’ largest city. Responding to Mamdani’s election-night vow to stand up to him, Trump called the statement “dangerous” and warned that disrespect toward Washington would undermine the new mayor’s chances of success.
“He has to be a little bit respectful of Washington, because if he’s not, he doesn’t have a chance of succeeding,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier.
“And I want to make him succeed. I want to make the city succeed,” he added — clarifying that his support was for New York City, not Mamdani personally.
Trump’s Mixed Message
Earlier on Wednesday, speaking at the American Business Forum in Miami, Trump branded Mamdani a “communist,” yet hinted at limited cooperation.
“The communists, Marxists, and globalists had their chance, and they delivered nothing but disaster. Now let’s see how a communist does in New York,” he said.
“We’ll help him a little bit, maybe. We want New York to be successful.”
During the campaign, Trump had repeatedly attacked Mamdani, calling him a “communist lunatic” and threatening to cut off federal funding if he won. Mamdani, who ran on a progressive platform advocating free universal childcare, free public buses, and government-run grocery stores, has rejected the communist label, identifying himself as a democratic socialist.
Mamdani’s Response and Broader Implications
In his victory speech, Mamdani cast his win as a blueprint for how to politically challenge Trump, telling the president to “turn the volume up.”
On Wednesday, he reiterated his resolve to oppose Trump’s policies while signalling openness to dialogue.
“I will not mince my words when it comes to President Trump,” Mamdani said. “I will continue to describe his actions as they are, and I will also always do so while leaving a door open to have that conversation.”
Mamdani’s election is being closely watched across the United States as a test of the Democratic Party’s ability to bridge its centrist and progressive wings ahead of future national contests.
