President Trump calls Mamdani-backed candidate ‘communist’
President Trump called a New York congressional candidate endorsed by New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani a “communist” after winning the primary.
President Donald Trump continued to disparage Mayor Zoran Mamdani and socialism after his pro-mayor’s overwhelming victory in New York’s primary on Tuesday.
The president called Mamdani’s Democratic Socialists supporters “communists” and said their policies would not work.
Here’s what you need to know:
President Trump slams socialist Mamdani after DSA members win New York primary
On Tuesday night, three Mamdani-backed candidates, two of whom are DSA members, won big victories in state legislative primaries. Darializa Avila Chevalier joined Claire Valdez and Brad Lander, both Establishment Democrats, in defeat.
President Trump, who has repeatedly called Mamdani a communist, wrote for the first time on Truth Social at around 2:30 a.m. after the sweep, saying, “Beautiful America will never become a communist country!!!”
The next morning, the president posted directly about the mayor and the candidate, writing, “Mayor Mamdani defeated three staunch communists and received massive and universal applause from the fake news media.”
“Congratulations, Mayor! Last night I helped elect a great American Patriot, 16-0, and the media said nothing.”
At Wednesday’s press conference, President Trump was also asked about the candidates.
“They’re leaning toward the radical left,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “I saw that woman last night. That woman is not a socialist. I know a socialist. That woman is a communist.” It was not immediately clear which candidate Trump was referring to.
He also said that if a democratic socialist becomes the presidential candidate, it could make the election easier for the Republican Party.
“If you look back thousands of years in history, socialism and communism have always existed under different names,” the president said. “That never worked out.”
However, at the same press conference, President Trump called Mamdani “a very nice person.”
“He’s a charming guy, a good-looking guy, and we talk.”
Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY Network’s request for comment.
Trump and Mamdani’s feud continues
President Trump said earlier this month that Mamdani was forcing businesses out of the city and that “we will end up in starvation or filth.”
“I don’t understand why he thinks it’s OK for all these companies that pay hundreds of millions of dollars a year in taxes to leave,” Trump told reporters.
“Because there will be no tax base and there will be hunger and filth and death and destruction.”
This is not a new complaint the president has with the mayor. He has publicly opposed Mamdani’s new pied-à-terre tax proposal aimed at wealthy residents.
Despite President Trump’s comments, the two sides have had their differences, but their face-to-face talks have generally gone well despite ideological and political differences.
After their first in-person meeting, Mamdani said at the White House, “It was a productive meeting that focused on New York City, a place we share admiration and love for, and the need to provide affordability for New Yorkers.”
“He wants crime to go away, he wants housing to be built, he wants rent to go down, and I agree with all of that,” Trump said after the meeting.
