(New York) Within 24 hours of being elected mayor of New York City on Tuesday (November 4th), Mamdani had already engaged in several public spats with US President Trump. It's clear that the person most likely to provoke Trump at this moment is this 34-year-old Indian-American Muslim.
During the election campaign, Mamdani's left-leaning political leanings became a target of Trump's attacks, with Trump frequently referring to him as a "communist madman." On Wednesday (November 5th), at an event in Miami celebrating the one-year anniversary of his presidential election, Trump didn't miss the opportunity to continue his attacks on Mamdani.
He warned that after New York elected Mamdani as mayor, it would soon fall into the hands of communists, and many people would soon flee "communist New York" to Florida.
Mamdani retorted, taking the opportunity to satirize Trump for failing to deliver on his campaign promise to help Americans cope with the rising cost of living while promoting his transition team that day.
He said, "The president should learn a lesson: it's not enough to simply diagnose that the lives of working Americans are facing a crisis; you must deliver on your promises and solve these crises!"
Further Reading
Mamdani's campaign promises were closely tied to the heavy burden of living costs for New Yorkers, advocating for freezing soaring rents, providing free city bus services and childcare, among other things. After his election, he confidently declared, "Republicans across America are now afraid because we really will deliver on these promises!"
Mamdani also vowed to build a "Trump-proofing NYC," acting as a legal backer for immigrants and resisting Trump's deportation policies.
However, to fulfill these promises, he needs more federal funding, and Trump has already threatened to cut funding to New York City.
In the United States, there's a long-standing saying: the hardest job is being President of the United States, and the second hardest is being Mayor of New York City. After Mamdani officially takes office on January 1st, his relationship with Trump will likely become even more volatile, making their jobs even more difficult.
Mamdani's diverse background helped him rise rapidly in New York.
Mamdani's rise to power was marked by a global citizenship mentality and a focus on the underprivileged, which was key to his ability to unite supporters and twice defeat veteran New York politician Cuomo.
Mamdani's family originated in India, but he was born in Uganda, spent his childhood in South Africa, and moved to New York with his family at the age of seven. He earned a bachelor's degree in African Studies from Bowdoin College and became a U.S. citizen in 2018.
This experience spanning three continents shaped his multifaceted identity—he is of Indian descent, a Muslim, and has lived in Africa, aligning with New York's emphasis on diversity.
What awakened Mamdani's political consciousness was his experience as a real estate consultant. He helped low-income families in Queens, New York, resolve loan crises and avoid foreclosures. He says it was this daily interaction with profit-driven banks that solidified his determination to enter politics and fight for a fairer life for working-class people.
In 2020, Mamdani was elected to the New York State Assembly and subsequently re-elected twice. Earlier this year, he announced his candidacy for the New York City mayoral primary. The relatively unknown Mamdani has only 1% support, and even his own campaign team estimates his chances of winning at only 3%.
In June, however, he defeated former New York Governor Cuomo, a veteran of decades of New York politics, in the primary to secure the Democratic nomination. This week, he again defeated Cuomo, an independent candidate.
The New York Times believes his focus on social issues, his mastery of social media, and his optimistic outlook on New York's future inspired young voters and immigrant groups to vote, enabling him to defeat his more experienced opponent.
Mamdani received strong support from left-wing political leaders Sanders and Cortez during the primaries. Former President Obama even contacted Mamdani in early November to offer advice.
However, his strong left-wing views and pro-Palestinian stance did not garner support from many Democratic heavyweights. New York Governor Hoch has stated that he will not approve his proposal to raise taxes. Senate Majority Leader Schumer, the most senior Jewish political leader in the Democratic Party, has never publicly endorsed Mamdani.
After the outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian war in October 2023, Mamdani protested outside Schumer's home. Schumer said on Wednesday that he had congratulated Mamdani on a “great campaign,” and then added casually, “I choose to move on.”
