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News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Communist lunatic': Donald Trump slams Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral primary win
Donald Trump has unleashed on Zohran Mamdani in the wake of his victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary race, blasting the '100% Communist Lunatic's' politics and looks. Mr Mamdani, a self-declared socialist, pulled off a stunning political upset – pummelling former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a contest seen as a fight for the future of the Democratic Party. The Ugandan-born state assemblyman was behind Mr Cuomo in the polls until near the end, surging on a message of lower rents, universal childcare and free bus services. If elected in November, the 33-year-old would become the first Muslim mayor in New York City's history. According to city officials, Mr Mamdani had taken 43 per cent of the vote with 95 per cent of ballots counted. Mr Cuomo, who was at around 36 per cent, confirmed to supporters he had called his rival and conceded — and appeared to have no chance to catch his rival. Mr Mamdani's triumph was widely celebrated by Democrats and New Yorkers – but not by the US President, who weighed in on the political upset in his former hometown in a series of furious Truth Social posts. 'It's finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line,' Mr Trump wrote. '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 a little ridiculous. 'He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he's not very smart, he's got AOC+3, Dummies ALL backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, is groveling (sic) over him. Yes, this is a big moment in the History of our Country!' Mr Schumer, who is US Senate minority leader, is Jewish and not of Palestinian heritage. Mr Trump's 'AOC+3' is in reference to the so-called progressive squad in Congress that includes New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In a follow-up post, Mr Trump declared Ms Ocasio-Cortez an 'Low IQ Candidate'. 'Added together with our future Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, and our Country is really SCREWED!,' he declared. Prominent conservative activists, meanwhile, targeted Mr Mamdani's Muslim faith, tying him to 9/11 in a barrage of vile xenophobic attacks. MAGA-aligned social media personality Laura Loomer claimed that 'New York City will be destroyed' and that the city 'is about to see 9/11 2.0'. 'If the Muslim Brotherhood would have been designated as a terrorist org, @ZohranKMamdani could have been prevented from running for office,' Loomer wrote. 'Get ready for Muslims to start committing jihad all over New York.' Conservative activist Charlie Kirk also invoked the September 11 Al-Qaeda attacks. '24 years ago a group of Muslims killed 2,753 people on 9/11,' he wrote. 'Now a Muslim Socialist is on pace to run New York City.' While Donald Trump Jr declared that 'New York City has fallen'. In the closing days of the race, Mr Mamdani remarked on the countless attacks he'd faced because of his religion. 'I get messages that say, 'The only good Muslim is a dead Muslim',' he said at a press conference. 'I get threats on my life, on the people that I love. And I try not to talk about it.' In his victory speech on Wednesday, Mr Mamdani said: 'Tonight we made history', adding that New Yorkers 'have stood up for a city they can afford'. That Mr Mamdani, the son of Indian immigrants, has also spoken out for Palestinians and accused Israel of 'genocide' in its ongoing assault on Gaza makes him a prime target for the President and the Republican faithful. His success has been seen as a rebuke to Democratic centrists who backed the powerful Mr Cuomo, as the party flails nationally in search of a way to counter the President's hard-right movement. Democrats have struggled to make their case as a credible alternative to Republicans since Kamala Harris's 2024 defeat to Mr Trump — seen in part as repudiation of identity politics and so-called 'woke' ideology. 'It's a political earthquake,' director of the Marist University Institute for Public Opinion, Lee Miringoff, told The New York Post. 'An unknown defeating Andrew Cuomo is a changing of the guard. More Democratic voters are younger, and their views have to be taken into account.' Democratic consultant Trip Yang described it to The New York Times as 'the biggest upset in modern New York City history'. 'The race shows Democratic voters are growing tired of the same old faces and they're willing to bet on newcomers,' said political strategist Andrew Koneschusky, a top former Democratic Senate aide. 'Looking ahead, we may see more competitive Democratic primaries and more upsets like this. That's bad news for establishment Democrats, but can be good for the party overall.'
Fox News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Mamdani a 'Messaging Nightmare' for Dems, Observer Says
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here's what's happening… -Trump, Hegseth seethe at 'fake news' media for doubting US strikes obliterated Iranian nuclear sites: 'Scum' -Trump DHS sues entire bench of judges in Maryland district court -Dem congresswoman pleads not guilty for Newark ICE facility incident, rallies supporters The political earthquake that rocked the nation's most populous city may prove to be a gift for Republicans aiming to paint Democrats as extreme radicals ahead of next year's midterm elections. As democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member from Queens who is originally from Uganda, was on his way to topping former three-term New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the rest of the large field in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, Republicans pounced. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) was one of the first out of the gate to capitalize on the leftward lurch, firing off an email release that claimed, "the new face of the Democrat Party just dropped, and it's straight out of a socialist nightmare." Veteran Republican strategist Colin Reed told Fox News that "the Democratic Party's trying to convince people that the tail is not wagging the dog, and they don't answer to the more extreme elements of their party. Now, that entire effort is undercut by a socialist winning handily in a bellwether election to determine who's going to run America's largest city." "It's a messaging nightmare that's going to unfold in real time from now until the midterms," he added. …READ MORE. CAPITAL EXIT: HUD becomes first major cabinet agency to exit DC, citing 'failing' HQ -- which DOGE wants to sell 'DISTORT COMPETITION': Bessent urged to stop EU's 'punitive' tax grab targeting U.S. firms WASTE WARRIOR: Teen nicknamed 'Big Balls' leaves Trump's cost-cutting team after exposing wasteful spending PHANTOM APPROVALS: Top Biden aide admits to Congress she directed autopen signatures without knowing who gave final approval GOP DIGS DEEP: Republicans move to revive Trump's 'beautiful clean coal industry' after Biden shut it down DEFENSE DOLLARS DUE: Trump to speak at NATO Summit amid warming relations with alliance's leaders 'THINK HE LIKES ME': Rubio cracks up at Trump's reaction to NATO leader calling president 'daddy' 'READINESS TO HELP': Zelenskyy pointedly thanks Trump, America for Ukraine support months after Vance's jab about lack of gratitude STRENGTH ON DISPLAY: NATO leader praises Trump for 'decisive action' on Iran RED LINE: Trump says US would strike again if Iran rebuilds nuclear program NUCLEAR KNOCKOUT: US strikes set Iran's nuclear program back 'many years,' Israeli assessment finds LOOKING AHEAD: Iranian dissident leader outlines vision for regime change, says it's 'inevitable'. HIGH STAKES: CEASEFIRE: Can a pause in fighting lead to lasting peace where conflicts have become the norm? 'LIKELY BLUSTER': Russian official says Moscow has 'no intention" of supplying Iran with warheads, following Trump taunts POWER PLAY: House Republicans inch closer to answers as former Biden advisors lose executive privilege shield 'CARRY THE TORCH': Dead congressman's social media accounts resurrected to boost former chief of staff's congressional bid MIDDLE-CLASS SQUEEZE: Louisiana mom warns 'half of what we're working for' at risk if Trump's budget bill fails RE-ELECTION MODE ON: Trump critic JB Pritzker expected to launch Democratic re-election bid for third term as Illinois governor CRIME CITY NIGHTMARE: Former Democrat ousted from party over defund the police takes on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg CONTEST CONCLUDED: Alvin Bragg blows out Democratic challenger in Manhattan DA primary BORDER BETRAYAL: Former Trump ambassador Scott Brown launches bid to flip key swing state Senate seat from blue to red Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on
Bloomberg
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
NYC Democrats Back Mamdani Over Cuomo
Zohran Mamdani is poised to become the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City after the 33-year-old democratic socialist forced his opponent Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of the state, to concede within hours after polls closed. Bloomberg's Laura Nahmias has more on the story. (Source: Bloomberg)
Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Zohran Mamdani is the disastrous far-Left future progressive New Yorkers deserve
Fancy family names tend to give a false sense of electoral security – think Hillary Clinton in both 2008 and 2016. And now there's Andrew Cuomo. The one time governor of the state of New York was electorally trounced in the Democratic primaries in New York City on Tuesday by 33 year-old upstart Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist who could very well become the city's next mayor. Mamdani's victory seemed almost unimaginable when both he and Cuomo first entered the race. With Cuomo's iconic last name – his father, Mario, was also governor of New York – and his billionaire backers, he appeared truly too big to fail. None other than Bill Clinton endorsed him as the race entered its final loop. But was Cuomo's loss really such a surprise? Having resigned from office in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, he came to the campaign with the type of baggage that would have kept most men from running in the first place. Add on his controversial leadership during the Covid pandemic – which saw thousands of nursing home patients die – and Cuomo was decidedly damaged goods. Whispers that he only wanted to be mayor in order to mount an eventual race for the White House didn't help. Nor did Cuomo's surprisingly low profile during the final days of the campaign. While Mamdani was literally everywhere – he recently walked seven hours from the top of Manhattan to its bottom meeting voters – the New York Post ran a piece last week asking of Cuomo 'where the hell is that guy?' On Friday night, we walked the length of Manhattan, from Inwood Hill to Battery Park. New Yorkers deserve a Mayor they can see, hear, even yell at. The city is in the streets. — Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) June 23, 2025 Cuomo certainly had little financial reason to hide, having considerably outspent Mamdani. But in many ways, voters also had little reason to vote for Cuomo – except for the fact that he wasn't Zohran Mamdani. And look where such thinking got Kamala Harris in her race against Donald Trump last year. Of course there were plenty of reasons to not want Mandani to win. His ultra-socialist agenda promotes policies – rent freezes, state-run grocery stores – so outlandish that even the New York Times declared them 'uniquely unsuited to the city's challenges'. In a stark warning a few days back, The Chicago Tribune cautioned New Yorkers that choosing a socialist mayor would turn that city into theirs: going broke thanks to far-Left mayor Brandon Johnson's reckless policies. And Mamdani is even further to the Left of his potential Chicago counterpart. So how did a city so sensitive to taxes, crime and political poseurs rally behind a kid whose only real job – besides Queens assemblyman – was a brief stint as a rapper? In a sense, how could they have not? Handsome, charming, Muslim, Mamdani is the inevitable outcome of the decades of identity politics that have seeped so deeply into every element of American society. His appeal – intersectional, anti-Israel, youthful and anti-authoritarian – is the political manifestation of everything from DEI to the nearly two years of violent pro-Palestinian protests that have convulsed the nation. And nowhere have those protests been more violent – or youthful or intersectional – than in New York City. With his slick social media posts and elite education, Mamdani cannily understood the most potent weapon of wokeness and identity politics – its ability to trick folks into acting (or, in this case, voting) against their own best interests. And New York voters have made the far-Left proud. Very proud. So what happens now – besides the likelihood of rising crime and fewer housing starts under a Mamdani administration? He is not yet mayor – far from it. Still to come is the general election in November, pitting him against incumbent Eric Adams, now an independent following his own brush with a corruption scandal last year. Like Cuomo – who himself could continue campaigning as an independent – Adams is also damaged goods. Beyond the allegations of cosying up to Turkey in exchange for fancy travel perks, Adams has found a champion in president Trump. This would be an asset in much of America, but New Yorkers – despite voting for the president in record numbers last year – generally despise the man. Along with those who align with him. Trump's Department of Justice dropped its case against Adams when the president returned to office earlier this year; Adams has no political future without him. Which means this remains Mamdani's race to lose, a chilling thought for fans of civic basics such as a functioning housing system and law and order. Much like the White House last summer, New York City is politically rudderless – overseen by a nominal leader, Adams, desperate to retain power as he campaigns on dubious legitimacy. There's talk of the arrival of some 11th hour dark-horse wild-card to upset the race once again. But whatever the anti-Mamdani forces do next, they must be as calculating and disciplined as Mandani himself. David Christopher Kaufman is a New York Post columnist
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Left-wing Democrat stuns former governor in NY mayor primary
A young left-wing candidate, Zohran Mamdani, is poised to become the Democratic nominee for New York mayor after delivering a stunning political upset. The 33-year-old socialist declared victory in the city's Democratic primary on Tuesday, defeating his main rival and political veteran Andrew Cuomo who previously served as state governor. "Tonight we made history," Mamdani said in his victory speech. If elected, he would be the first Muslim and Indian American to lead the nation's largest city. Cuomo, 67, was attempting to pull off a comeback after resigning from office in 2021 over a sexual harassment scandal. He congratulated his opponent for a "really smart and great campaign". The primary in staunchly liberal New York is likely to determine who becomes mayor in November's election. The contest was being watched as a litmus test for the Democratic Party as it seeks to hone its messaging after election losses last November that saw President Donald Trump's Republicans win the White House and both chambers in Congress. Results on Tuesday night showed Mamdani with a commanding lead, but falling short of the 50% threshold needed to win outright. Who is Zohran Mamdani? Cuomo's concession was unexpected because counting looks likely to continue next week under the ranked choice system, which allowed New Yorkers to pick up to five candidates in order of preference. The former governor's loss marks the "biggest upset in modern NYC history," Trip Yang, a political strategist, told the BBC. "A massive win for Zohran Mamdani that shows that when Donald Trump is President, New York Democrats want to see their leaders fight with enthusiasm and courage, and that's what Zohran showed voters." In an interview with the New York Times, Cuomo said he was still examining whether he would run in the general election in November on the independent line. "I said he won the primary election," Cuomo told the outlet. "I said I wanted to look at the numbers and the ranked-choice voting to decide about what to do in the future, because I'm also on an independent line." Cuomo was seen as a moderate and the establishment favourite, known across the country after his governorship during the Covid pandemic. Mamdani is a millennial outsider who was fairly unknown until recently. Born in Uganda, his family moved to New York City when he was seven. He has posted one campaign video entirely in Urdu and mixed in Bollywood film clips. In another, he speaks Spanish. Mamdani's strong support of Palestinians and criticism of Israel put him at odds with most of the Democratic establishment. He went viral during his campaign for videos where he questioned NYC voters who swung for Trump in the November election. He asked what issues led them to cast their ballots for the Republican president and what it would take for them to swing Democrat. Mamdani's platform includes free public buses, universal childcare, freezing rent in subsidised units, and city-run grocery stores - all paid for by new taxes on the rich. "This is a city where one in four of its people are living in poverty, a city where 500,000 kids go to sleep hungry every night," he told the BBC at a recent event. "And ultimately, it's a city that is in danger of losing that which it makes it so special." Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders, also democratic socialists, endorsed Mamdani during his campaign. Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
