Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party’s nominee for New York City mayor, has responded to US President Donald Trump's threats to deport and arrest him.
At a press conference in Ochopee, Florida near the new migrant detention centre dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz", Trump responded to Mamdani’s support for resisting ICE raids. "Well, then we’ll have to arrest him," he said. "Look, we don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation.
"We send him money. We send him all the things that he needs to run a government… We’re going to be watching that very carefully and a lot of people are saying he is here illegally, you know, we’re going to look at everything and ideally he’s going to turn out to be much less than a communist. But right now he’s a communist. That’s not a socialist."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also announced that a formal review of Mamdani’s citizenship status might take place.
The comments came after Tennessee Republican Representative Andy Ogles submitted a letter to then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging that Mamdani may have concealed support for terrorism during his naturalisation.
'We will not accept intimidation'
Mamdani responded by slamming Trump's comments as "an attack on our democracy" and accused MAGA Republicans of trying to dismantle social safety nets and enriching billionaires while targeting vulnerable communities.
In a statement on X, Mamdani said: "The president of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city.
"His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you. We will not accept this intimidation."
The 33-year-old also criticised incumbent Mayor Eric Adams for aligning with Trump’s rhetoric and vowed that voters would reject such intimidation tactics in November.
"At the very moment when MAGA Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of healthcare and enrich their billionaire donors at the expense of working families, it is a scandal that [incumbent NYC mayor] Eric Adams echoes this president’s division, distraction and hate. Voters will resoundingly reject it in November," he said.
Trump's threats come amid changes at the Justice Department, following a recent memo ordering attorneys to pursue denaturalisation cases against foreign-born citizens alleged to have used "willful misrepresentation" during naturalisation. It also targets individuals who might have concealed support for wrongdoing or terrorism.
'Unlawful threats'
Born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian parents, Mamdani was raised in New York and entered politics in 2021 as a State Assembly member from Queens.
His rise to the top of the mayoral primary, overtaking establishment candidate Andrew Cuomo, prompted a wave of Islamophobic abuse, including allegations based on his Muslim faith.
Governor Kathy Hochul quickly stepped to his defence, writing on X: "I don’t care if you’re the President of the United States, if you threaten to unlawfully go after one of our neighbours, you’re picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers - starting with me."
Next November, Mamdani is expected to face a three-way race with incumbent Eric Adams running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo has also announced interest in running again as an independent.