Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, pushed back against Donald Trump鈥檚 false claims and economic threats in a national interview. Trump labeled Mamdani a 鈥100% Communist Lunatic鈥 and threatened to cut off federal funding if Mamdani maintains New York鈥檚 sanctuary city policies. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, denied the communist label, saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 fighting for the very working people that he has since then betrayed鈥. He dismissed Trump鈥檚 attacks as distractions rooted in xenophobia and vowed to stand firm on his progressive platform, which includes rent freezes, free busing, and taxing billionaires. Mamdani criticized the current mayor for cooperating with federal immigration enforcement and pledged to protect New Yorkers' rights regardless of status. He also addressed misleading accusations from Democrats, including a false claim by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that he supported 鈥済lobal jihad鈥. Mamdani said he rejects speech policing and stands for universal human rights. As a Muslim who became a citizen in 2018, Mamdani emphasized his commitment to protecting all communities, including increasing anti-hate crime funding. 鈥淲e have to stand up and fight back,鈥 he said, positioning himself as a candidate unafraid to challenge both Trump and the Democratic establishment.
