New York City just elected a new mayor, and he’s already going head to head with President Donald Trump. Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, won the election and immediately made it clear he won’t let Trump push him around. On Wednesday, he warned that he’ll take the president to court if Trump tries to cut off federal money to the city.
According to the New York Post, Mamdani didn’t waste any time showing he’s ready to fight back. During an interview on Good Morning America, he talked about his plan to deal with Trump’s threats. He said the key is to use the court system and not just accept everything the president says as if it’s automatically the law.
The new mayor really grabbed attention with what he said during his victory speech. “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up,” Mamdani told the crowd celebrating his win. He went on to say that if anyone can show the country how to beat Trump, it’s the city where Trump came from. The president saw this and quickly posted on Truth Social, writing “AND SO IT BEGINS!”
Mamdani says he’ll work with Trump, but only on his own terms
Mamdani said that he’s open to working with Trump on certain things. “I have said time and again that I will work with the president if he wants to work together to deliver on his campaign promises of cheaper groceries or a lower cost of living,” he explained.
The new mayor said he’s seen enough of city leaders who work with the president even when it hurts regular New Yorkers.
He wants people to know that’s not how he operates. “I want to make it very clear that if the president looks to come after the people of this city, I will be there standing up for them every step of the way,” Mamdani told reporters. The back and forth between the two isn’t surprising, especially after Vice President JD Vance previously mocked Mamdani’s emotional 9/11 story during the campaign.
“Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up,” Mamdani said in his post-victory speech.
This fight between Mamdani and Trump has been building for a while now. Before the election, Trump kept attacking Mamdani and calling him a “Communist.” He even said he would stop sending federal money to New York City if people voted for the socialist candidate. But voters picked Mamdani anyway.
The day after the election, Trump talked about how things went for Republicans across the country, though he didn’t say Mamdani’s name. At a White House breakfast with Republican senators, Trump admitted the night didn’t go well for his party.
“We had that big, beautiful victory exactly one year ago,” Trump said. “And last night it was, you know, not expected to be a victory. It was very Democrat areas. But I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I’m not sure it was good for anybody.”
Trump has urged the Republicans to take drastic measures to make sure Democrats don’t get an advantage in future elections. Many GOP leaders are opposing his extreme plans for now, but in a Trump presidency, anything could happen.
Published: Nov 5, 2025 02:00 pm