Zohran Mamdani: Rocky Relations with the President

By Abigail Julias

On November 4^th, 2025, Zohran Mamdani was announced as New York City’s next mayor with 50.4% of the vote, defeating Republican candidate Curtis Silwa and independent Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani ran a platform focused on affordability, with promises to freeze rent, eliminate the bus fare, build 200,000 affordable housing units, and provide free childcare. To pay for this, Mamdani said he would add raise taxes for corporations and the wealthiest New Yorkers. Critics claimed Mamdani lacked experience compared to other candidates such as former governor Andrew Cuomo, arguing that his political positions were radical and risked destabilizing New York City.

The key to Mamdani’s win was through his grassroots campaign, recruiting an army of volunteers to knock on doors and host events to canvass voters. Apps were used to track progress, and as Mamdani gained traction more people were enticed to volunteer. By the end of his campaign, Mamdani had gathered over one hundred thousand volunteers and knocked on over three million doors. The election ended with the highest turnout for a New York City mayoral election in decades, with a significant number of younger voters casting ballots thanks to Mamdani’s campaigning.

President Donald Trump and Mamdani have had an openly hostile relationship, with Trump calling democratic socialist Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” on social media and suggesting Mamdani may be in the country illegally. “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally,” Trump said, “We’re going to look at everything.” While Mamdani was born in Uganda, he became a naturalized U.S citizen in 2018.

Mamdani is similarly critical of President Trump. During his campaign, Mamdani traveled around all five New York City boroughs through a week-long ‘Five Boroughs Anti-Trump Tour’, as well as speaking directing to the president during his victory speech: “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up!”

Despite prior disagreements, the two put aside their differences to arrange a meeting on November 21. Trump’s opinion on Mamdani seemed to change after this meeting, with Trump telling reporters that the two “agree on a lot more than I would have thought.” When asked whether he would feel comfortable living in New York City under Mamdani’s administration, Trump replied with “Yeah, I would, especially after the meeting.”

Mamdani told reporters “I intend to make it clear to President Trump that I will work with him on any agenda that benefits New Yorkers. If an agenda hurts New Yorkers, I will also be the first to say so,” making clear his willingness to work with the president as long as it benefits New York City.

Mamdani will be sworn in on Jan 1^st, 2025, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor as well as one of its youngest at 34.