NEW YORK (WABC) — President Trump reacted to New York City’s Democratic Mayoral Primary on Sunday, labeling Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee a ‘communist’ and that he would be ‘very bad for New York.’<\/p>\n
Trump made the comments during an interview on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures and issued a warning to Mamdani, saying, ‘do what’s right, or you won’t receive any money.’<\/p>\n
“Let’s say this, if he does get in, I’m going to be president and he is going to have to do the right thing, but they’re not getting any money. He’s got to do right thing. It’s shocking that I would have assumed that. I used to say we will never have a socialist in this country. No, but we’ll have a communist. I mean, he’s a communist, he gonna be mayor of New York,” Trump said.<\/p>\n
Mamdani responded to the accusation that he is a ‘communist.’<\/p>\n
“No I’m not, and I already have to get used to the fact 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,” Mamdani said.<\/p>\n
Mamdani also said there should be no billionaires in America.<\/p>\n
In response to Mamdani’s pledge to oppose ICE, President Trump called the candidate a “radical leftist” and a “lunatic.”<\/p>\n
While Trump did not endorse anyone specifically, he cautioned that future mayors of New York would face financial repercussions from the federal government if they did not comply with his administration.<\/p>\n
“Well, I don’t want to say that because I have a lot of people, a lot of friends, and I have everybody, so I don’t want to get into that. I can tell you this, whoever’s mayor of New York is going to have to behave themselves or the federal government is coming down very tough on them financially,” Trump said.<\/p>\n
Mamdani addressed attacks and threats towards him on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ Sunday saying the swipes, including U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles’ call for his potential deportation, have been difficult, but are small examples that ‘go against what so many New Yorkers actually feel.<\/p>\n
“It’s been difficult. It’s been difficult to have to deal with the regular and repeated smears and slander upon my name and on the very basis of my faith,” Mamdani said. “And I think what’s so sad is that this is but a glimpse into what life is like for many Muslim New Yorkers and many New Yorkers of different faiths who are constantly being told that they don’t belong in this city and in this country that they love.”<\/p>\n
Mamdani went on to say that New York is a city ‘for all of us.’<\/p>\n
“What Tuesday night showed is that what New Yorkers want more than anything is a vision that binds us all together,” he added.<\/p>\n
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