New York state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, condemned President Donald Trump’s threats on Tuesday (July 1), calling them an attack on democracy.
“His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation,” Mamdani said in a statement shortly after Trump’s remarks.
Trump threatens arrest and funding cuts
Speaking earlier at the newly opened “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, Trump warned that Mamdani would face consequences if he resists federal immigration enforcement.
“Well then, we’ll have to arrest him,” Trump declared when asked about Mamdani’s promise to “stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors.”
The president went further, labeling Mamdani a “communist,” a claim he has repeated for weeks.
“Look, we don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation,” Trump said.
Trump also revived unfounded allegations about Mamdani’s citizenship status: “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally,” Trump asserted. “We’re going to look at everything. Ideally, he’s going to turn out to be much less than a communist. But right now he’s a communist. That’s not a socialist.”
Earlier on Tuesday, as he departed the White House, Trump told reporters: “I think I’m gonna have a lot of fun with him, watching him, because he has to come right through this building to get his money.” He also threatened to withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani doesn’t “do the right thing.”
“I am not a Communist”
In an interview on NBC, Mamdani dismissed Trump’s labeling.
“I am not,” he said when asked if he is a communist. “I have 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. And I’m fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower that he has since then betrayed.”
Primary results and November election
The New York City Board of Elections on Tuesday released updated ranked-choice results showing Mamdani holding a 12-point lead over former Governor Andrew Cuomo—56% to 44%—in the Democratic primary.
Current Mayor Eric Adams plans to run as an independent. The New York City mayoral election is scheduled for November 4.