Donald Trump has broken his silence following Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City’s first Muslim mayor. The president, who supported Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, posted an ominous four-word message on Truth Social after Mamdani’s victory speech: “…AND SO IT BEGINS!”
Mamdani, 34, a Democratic Socialist, defeated both Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in a landmark race that also saw Democrats win governorships in New Jersey and Virginia. In California, voters approved Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan, potentially adding several new Democratic-leaning congressional seats before the 2026 elections.
Trump, who reluctantly endorsed Cuomo, urged New Yorkers before the vote to back the former governor, writing: “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”
The two men have a long history of conflict, dating back to their public clashes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump had earlier warned that if Mamdani were elected, federal support for New York City would be limited. “It’s gonna be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York,” he told 60 Minutes. “Because if you have a communist running New York, all you’re doing is wasting the money you’re sending there.”
At his victory celebration in Queens, Mamdani fired back at Trump’s remarks: “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant.”
He added, “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power. So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”
The crowd erupted in sustained applause as Mamdani, whose campaign centered on affordability and economic justice, outlined his priorities: fare-free public buses, universal child care, a rent freeze for rent-stabilized homes, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.
