Trump issues four-word response after Zohran Mamdani becomes NYC mayor

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.