Former President Donald Trump launched a fierce verbal attack on Zohran Mamdani, calling the progressive Democrat a “100% crazy communist” after Mamdani’s unexpected victory in the Democratic primary for New York City.
Trump made the comments during a press briefing on June 25, in response to a question about rising left-wing voices within the Democratic Party. “You’ve got people like Mamdani winning elections now – he’s a 100% crazy communist. That’s who’s running the Democratic Party these days,” Trump said, accusing Democrats of drifting too far left.
Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and a former state assemblyman, shocked political observers by defeating a more moderate rival backed by the party establishment. His platform emphasized housing justice, cutting police budgets, and expanding social services – proposals that have drawn praise from progressives and fierce criticism from conservatives.
Republican lawmakers quickly echoed Trump’s sentiments. Senator Josh Hawley said Mamdani’s win was a “warning sign of the radicalization of urban politics,” while Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted that the Democratic Party had “fully embraced Marxism.”
Democratic figures responded defensively. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defended Mamdani, tweeting, “Zohran is committed to fighting for working-class people. That scares the establishment – both Republican and Democrat.” Others in the Democratic leadership distanced themselves from Trump’s remarks without directly endorsing Mamdani’s platform.
Mamdani himself responded with a short post on X (formerly Twitter):
“If fighting for affordable housing, dignity, and equality makes me a ‘crazy communist’ – so be it. We’re just getting started.”
The clash highlights the ongoing tension between the progressive and centrist wings of the Democratic Party – and signals that Trump, now campaigning for a second nonconsecutive term, is eager to use these divisions to his political advantage.
As the general election season intensifies, figures like Mamdani are likely to become symbolic targets in the broader battle over the future of American politics.