Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani used a Fox News interview on Wednesday to directly address criticisms from President Donald Trump, who has frequently labeled him a “communist” and questioned his professional experience, ahead of the first general election debate.
Mamdani’s Direct Message to Trump
Mamdani, a democratic socialist whose candidacy is often a topic on Fox News, appeared on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” for his first interview with the network. He is scheduled to face independent former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in two debates before the November 4 election.
Responding specifically to President Trump’s assertion that he has never “worked a day in his life,” Mamdani turned to the camera, stating he would speak directly to the President, guessing he was likely watching. Mamdani declared, “I will not be a mayor like Mayor Eric Adams who will call you to figure out how to stay out of jail. I won’t be a disgraced governor like Andrew Cuomo who will call you to ask how to win this election. I can do those things on my own.”
He continued, “I will, however, be a mayor who is ready to speak at any time to lower the cost of living. That’s the way that I’m going to lead the city.”
Addressing Past Controversies and Policy Stances
Mamdani also preemptively addressed lines of attack anticipated from his opponents during the upcoming debate. He issued an apology to New York Police Department officers for past social media postings from 2020, in which he called them “racist” and “wicked” in the aftermath of the George Floyd protests.
Furthermore, Mamdani reiterated his pledge to direct the NYPD to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Netanyahu visits New York City. He stated that he would “exhaust every legal option” to try to carry out this directive.
On Israel and Hamas
During the interview, MacCallum pressed Mamdani on the subject of Israel and a recent Gaza ceasefire agreement, asking if he believed Hamas, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization, should “lay down their arms.” Mamdani declined to offer a direct opinion on the matter.
“I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety and the fact that anything has to abide by international law,” Mamdani said. “That applies to Hamas, that applies to Israeli military, applies to anyone you could ask for.”
Looking Ahead
Mamdani’s direct engagement with President Trump’s criticisms and his firm stance on controversial issues mark a distinctive approach as he heads into the critical mayoral debates against Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.
