‘I called the president’: NYC’s new mayor makes bold move just days into office, and Trump won’t like what he said

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s new mayor, called President Trump on Saturday to tell him he disagreed with the military strikes the United States carried out in Venezuela. He also objected to the capture of Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro.

Mamdani spoke about the call at a news conference on Saturday. “I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act,” he said. He said he told Trump directly that he was against trying to change Venezuela’s government and breaking federal and international law. The mayor’s team said Mamdani started the call on Saturday afternoon and that it was short.

According to the New York Times, when reporters asked what Trump said back, Mamdani wouldn’t give details. He only said he made his objection clear and left it at that. The White House hasn’t commented on the call yet.

The new mayor is already clashing with the president

This marks the first time Mamdani has publicly disagreed with Trump since becoming mayor on Thursday. The comments came in both spoken remarks and an earlier written statement. The situation could lead to more tension ahead, especially since Maduro is coming to New York to face federal drug and weapons charges in Manhattan.

Mamdani and Trump have major political differences. The mayor has even called Trump a “fascist” in the past. But after they met at the White House in November and the meeting went surprisingly well, Mamdani had avoided directly criticizing the president, even during his swearing-in speech this week. Just days earlier, Mamdani criticized his predecessor’s broken legacy and moved quickly to undo previous policies.

On Saturday, Mamdani tried to downplay how the phone call might hurt their relationship. He said he and the president have always been honest with each other about things they disagree on. He added that New Yorkers elected him to be direct and honest while making sure his job is helping people who live in the city.

The mayor will probably have little control over what happens to Maduro while he’s in federal custody, even if he’s held somewhere in New York. Mamdani seemed to accept these limits when talking to reporters. He said his job is to make sure federal government actions don’t disrupt New Yorkers’ daily lives. The new mayor has already faced controversy, including when Elon Musk criticized his fire department appointment.

Mamdani has been vocal against American support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza. However, before Saturday, he hadn’t said much about Venezuela or U.S. policy in Latin America. Both Mamdani and Maduro call themselves socialists, though they don’t have any personal connection. In his written statement, the mayor said trying to change Venezuela’s government affects New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans living in the city.