Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks in the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary Debate at NBC Studios on June 4, 2025, in New York City. (Yuki Iwamura-Pool/Getty Images)
"I think it would be quite telling that this individual, a known Communist, has been spending time in Washington this week, meeting with leaders on Capitol Hill. This is truly where the Democrat Party is headed. Clearly, they learned nothing from November 5th and the president's overwhelming victory," Leavitt said.
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Mamdani would be the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of New York City if elected this November.
Despite meeting with House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., last week in New York City, Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who also plans to meet with Mamdani, have yet to endorse his mayoral campaign.
Mamdani also met with Democratic leaders in Washington, D.C., last week, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., hosted a "Communication and Organizing Skillshare Breakfast" with the mayoral candidate.
Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive champion and youngest woman elected to Congress, was an early endorser of Mamdani. Members of the progressive "Squad," such as Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., attended the breakfast, and Mamdani later met with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who also endorsed his primary campaign.
Zohran Mamdani, New York City mayoral candidate, arrives for a news conference at Astoria Park during the New York City mayoral Democratic primary in the Queens borough of New York on June 24, 2025. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"I would think that he would have a good shot at winning," Trump told reporters of Cuomo last week.
Mamdani campaign spokesperson, Jeffrey Lerner, was quick to seize on Trump's comments, writing that "we would like to congratulate Andrew Cuomo on earning Donald Trump’s endorsement. Obviously, this triumph speaks for itself. The question now is whether Cuomo will embrace Trump’s support publicly or continue to just accept it in private."
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Trump has criticized Mamdani's campaign on Truth Social and repeatedly when speaking to reporters.
"As President of the United States, I’m not going to let this Communist Lunatic destroy New York. Rest assured, I hold all the levers, and have all the cards," Trump said, vowing to save New York City from the socialist candidate.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/zohran-mamdani-fires-back-white-house-mispronouncing-his-name-m-a-m-d-a-n-i