New Yorkers would be crazy to elect Zohran Mamdani: Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump called the Democrat Zohran Mamdani of Indian American descent a “communist” and said, “The last thing we need is a communist,” reports the Associated Press.

Mamdani claimed victory over former Democratic New York Gov Andrew Cuomo on election night last week in the Democratic mayoral primary. The final results will be announced Tuesday.

The 33-year-old democratic socialist and New York state assemblyman would be the city's first Muslim mayor and its first of Indian American descent if elected.

The Republican president, who grew up in New York, also mentioned Mamdani's campaign promise to open government-run grocery stores.

Trump said that if New Yorkers elect Mamdani as the next mayor, “I think they're crazy.”

A day ago, Trump stirred controversy with a threat to cut off federal funding to New York City if Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, wins office and “doesn’t behave himself.”

In an interview on Fox News, Trump labelled Mamdani “a pure communist” and expressed disbelief at his primary win. “Let’s say this – 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,” Trump said.

More than $100 billion in federal funding flows into New York City through various programmes and agencies, according to last year’s report by the city comptroller.

Mamdani, speaking with NBC’s Meet the Press, rejected Trump’s accusation.

“No, I am not” a communist, he said. He also acknowledged that he expects more personal attacks from the president. “I’ve already had to start 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.”