Donald Trump’s latest political foe isn’t a seasoned Washington insider but a 33-year-old democratic socialist from Queens. Zohran Mamdani, the surprise victor in New York’s mayoral primary, became the subject of Trump’s ire this week after proposing radical reforms like a $30 minimum wage and free transit. The former president branded him a “communist lunatic” and hinted at deportation—prompting a defiant comeback from the rising star.
“The president just threatened to have me arrested and deported,” Mamdani told reporters after Trump’s Truth Social post went viral. “I won’t be silenced, and neither will our movement.” The Ugandan-born politician, who became a U.S. citizen in 2018, framed the attacks as an attempt to distract from policies that would benefit working-class New Yorkers.
Trump escalated matters during a Florida press conference, suggesting authorities should investigate Mamdani’s immigration status and warning that “we might have to arrest him” if he interferes with ICE operations. The remarks drew immediate backlash, with civil rights groups condemning what they called a blatant effort to weaponize citizenship against a political opponent.
Undeterred, Mamdani turned the controversy into a rallying cry. “This isn’t about me—it’s about every immigrant, every working person who’s told they don’t belong,” he declared at a Brooklyn rally. Even fellow Democrats took notice, with progressive leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praising his refusal to back down.
As the mayoral race heats up, Trump’s attacks have inadvertently boosted Mamdani’s profile, introducing his unapologetically left-wing platform to a national audience. With Trump vowing to “monitor” him if elected and Republicans lobbing insults like “little Muhammad,” the battle for New York has become a microcosm of America’s broader political divides.
