Trump Warns New York Mayor-Elect Mamdani: ‘We’ll Have To Arrest Him’
President Donald Trump on Wednesday addressed sharp criticism from Zohran Mamdani, who defeated disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York City’s mayoral race.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, ordered the president during his fiery victory speech to “turn the volume up.”
“I think it’s a very dangerous statement for him to make,” Trump told Fox News host Bret Baier. “He has to be a little bit respectful of Washington, because if he’s not, he doesn’t have a chance of succeeding. And I want to make him succeed.”
He quickly clarified, “I want to make the city succeed, I don’t want to make him succeed.”
Trump has frequently attacked the progressive candidate throughout his campaign, which focused on affordable housing and expanding social safety nets.
Mamdani faced racist attacks from critics before defeating Cuomo, whom Trump had endorsed.
In his victory speech Tuesday, Mamdani called Trump a “despot” who has “betrayed” the nation.
He urged his supporters to use their votes and voices to “stop the next Trump” by “dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.”
“I thought it was a very angry speech,” Trump told Baier. “Certainly angry toward me, and I think he should be nice to me. I’m sort of the one that has to approve a lot of things coming to him, so he’s off to a bad start.”
Supporters countered that Mamdani, 34, is off to a great start as the first Muslim and South Asian mayor in city history, and its youngest in more than a century.
🚨🇺🇸 TRUMP: MAMDANI’S VICTORY SPEECH SOUNDED VERY ANGRY TOWARD ME
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 5, 2025
“I thought it was a very angry speech.
Certainly angry toward me, and I think he should be very nice to me.
You know, I’m the one that sort of has to approve a lot of things coming to him, so he’s off to a bad… https://t.co/B6WPvMdlk7 pic.twitter.com/HBy1vz9XW2
🚨 President Trump on Zohran Mamdani’s vow to block ICE agents in NYC:
— Jake (@JakeCan72) November 6, 2025
“Well then, we’ll have to arrest him.”
Mamdani said he would stop federal ICE operations if elected mayor — drawing sharp pushback from Trump, who called his stance “communist” and “dangerous.”
The clash… pic.twitter.com/YWhlXJ5PAm
“Look, for thousands of years communism has not worked. Communism, or the concept of communism, has not worked. I tend to doubt it will work this time,” Trump said.
He added that he was “torn” by Mamdani’s win due to his “love” for New York City, saying he “would like to see the new mayor do well.”
When asked if he’s thought about reaching out, Trump replied, “I would say he needs to reach out to us, really. I’m here. We’ll see what happens, but I would think it would be more appropriate for him to reach out to us.”
MAMDANI: "My message to ICE agents, and to everyone across this city, is that everyone will be held to the same standard of the law"
— Sara Rose 🇺🇸🌹 (@saras76) November 5, 2025
lol. He doesn't know federal law supersedes city and state law pic.twitter.com/rH3DkWcgo8
🚨 Van Jones is Spot On: Mamdani’s victory speech was filled with hate and rage…. Not his calm, smiling, campaign rhetoric of the past several months.
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 5, 2025
NY will now experience the real Mamdani….. I give you Mr. Hyde.
You were warned. pic.twitter.com/JOzIE67UGX
In June, when asked about Mamdani’s vow to “stop masked ICE agents from deporting our neighbors,” Trump said, “Well then, we’ll have to arrest him.”
“Look, we don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation,” Trump added.
