U.S. President Donald Trump excoriated Zohran Mamdani, the New York state representative who came in first on Tuesday night in New York City’s ranked-choice mayoral Democratic primary, as a “Communist lunatic.”
“It’s finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line,” Trump stated. “Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist lunatic, has just won the Dem primary and is on his way to becoming mayor. We’ve had radical lefties before, but this is getting ridiculous.”
Mamdani, who, if elected, would be the first Muslim mayor of New York City, has made waves within the Jewish community and elsewhere with his anti-Israel rhetoric and refusal to censure the words and ideas behind “Globalize the intifada.”
“He looks terrible, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart, he’s got AOC plus-3, dummies all backing him,” Trump said, referring to progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). (It wasn’t clear who else the president was referring to; however, other members of the so-called “Squad” in Congress also supported Mamdani.)
“Even our great Palestinian senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him,” Trump said. “Yes, this is a big moment in the history of our country.”
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is Jewish. Trump has referred to him as a “Palestinian” in the past, drawing criticism for Jew-hatred.
Schumer said that Mamdani “ran an impressive campaign that connected with New Yorkers about affordability, fairness and opportunity” and that he is “looking forward to getting together” with him soon.
Jewish New Yorkers told JNS that there is “a lot to fear” about Mamdani’s victory. The state representative has accused Israel of war crimes, said he would have Benjamin Netanyahu arrested if the Israeli prime minister came to New York City and stated that he would not travel to Israel, though, once elected, a visit to “Palestine” could be in the works.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., also has said, without naming Mamdani, that he was “exploiting” the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
