Donald Trump has slammed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as a communist “nutjob” after the Democratic rising star refused to condemn a contentious anti-Zionist slogan.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a visit to the Florida migrant detention centre dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the president was asked what he thought of Mamdani, who on Sunday said he didn’t want to “police” the use of the term “globalize the intifada”.
The phrase is used to back Palestinian resistance against Israel, but has been criticized by Jewish groups for potentially inciting violence and antisemitism.
While Mamdani told NBC’s Meet The Press that the term “globalize the intifada” was not language he would use, he added: “I don’t believe the role of the mayor is to police speech.”
Asked for his response on Tuesday, Trump replied: “Frankly, I’ve heard he’s a total nut job.
“I think the people in New York are crazy if they go this route, I think they’re crazy,” he said.
“We will have a communist in the for the first time, really a pure, true communist. He wants to operate the grocery stores. The department stores. What about the people that are there? I think it’s crazy.”
Mamdani is a Ugandan-born Muslim who rocked the Democratic establishment last week with his stunning victory against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The 33-year-old re-energized the party’s progressive base with a grassroots campaign that connected heavily with younger voters, used slick campaign ads on social media, and focused relentlessly on cost of living pressures in New York.
But his past criticism of the Israeli government and its treatment of Palestinians, coupled with his views about the redistribution of wealth, has made him a clear target for Republicans–and for Trump.
“I think he’s terrible. He’s a communist,” Trump said.
“And I think I’m gonna have a lot of fun watching him, because he has to come right through this building to get his money.”
Others, however, say Mamdani was a “wake-up call” for Democrats and the MAGA movement, ahead of next year’s midterm elections and the presidential election in 2028.
“At a national level, it will be interesting to see how it plays out, but it shows where the party needs to go to be relevant in the age of Trump,” Joseph Geevarghese, the executive director of progressive group Our Revolution, told the Daily Beast.
“Zohran has shown a sharp contrast, and that’s what we need to beat back the MAGA movement.”
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