Zohran Mamdani openly criticized President Donald Trump during his acceptance speech after emerging victorious in the NYC mayoral race.
This victory is considered ‘historic’ as the 34-year-old becomes the first Muslim, South Asian, and the youngest individual in a century to be elected as New York’s mayor.
According to the BBC, Mamdani won with 50.4 percent of the vote, while his opponents, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, garnered 41.6 and 7 percent respectively.
Mamdani, known as a Democratic socialist, has proposed several policy initiatives, such as establishing universal childcare, offering free city bus services, and implementing taxes on the wealthiest city residents, as reported by CNN.
Prior to the election, President Trump had clearly stated his preference for Andrew Cuomo as New York’s mayor. On 60 Minutes, he urged residents to vote for Cuomo: “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!”
Trump had also hinted that he might withhold funding from New York if Mamdani was elected.
During his victory speech on Tuesday (November 4), Mamdani declared that New York had ‘spoken in a clear voice,’ and affirmed: “Hope is alive.”
Addressing Trump, Mamdani stated: “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.
“This is not only how we stop Trump. It’s how we stop the next one. So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: ‘Turn the volume up’.”
He went on to say that they can counter oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves.
“We will hold bad landlords to account because the Donald Trumps of our city have grown far too comfortable taking advantage of their tenants. We will put an end to the culture of corruption that has allowed billionaires like Trump to evade taxation and exploit tax breaks,” he added.
“We will stand alongside unions and expand labor protections because we know, just as Donald Trump does, that when working people have ironclad rights, the bosses who seek to extort them become very small indeed.
“New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and as of tonight, led by an immigrant.
“So hear me, President Trump when I say this, to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
After Mamdani’s victory, Trump expressed his thoughts on Truth Social, writing: “…AND SO IT BEGINS!”