Mamdani secures victory in NYC Democratic primary as Trump warns of arrest if he defies ICE as mayor.
Zohran Mamdani secured victory on Tuesday in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, immediately drawing renewed criticism and threats of arrest from President Donald Trump, the Queens native expected to be a key figure in one of the year’s most high-profile races.
Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman and democratic socialist, had long been the frontrunner to become the party’s nominee following the June 24 primary. However, with no candidate securing a majority of first-choice votes, the outcome depended on the city’s ranked-choice tabulation, released Tuesday, which ultimately pushed Mamdani past the 50% threshold required to win.
The latest results, though not yet official but covering nearly all ballots cast, show Mamdani defeating Cuomo by a margin of 56% to 44% in the final round — a decisive and once-unimaginable victory that has shaken the national political landscape and propels him to November’s general election.
This is only the start of our growing movement to make New York City affordable for everyone,” Mamdani posted on X following the release of the results. “And we’ll achieve this together.”
Democrats are now grappling with how to harness Mamdani’s appeal among younger progressive voters, even as some within the party seek to distance themselves from his policies, including proposals for free public transportation, a rent freeze, increased taxes on millionaires, and his outspoken criticism of Israel. Meanwhile, Republicans have sought to portray Mamdani as the new symbol of their opposition.
During a visit to a newly opened migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, Trump falsely claimed that Mamdani was in the country “illegally” and warned that Mamdani would face arrest if he attempted to obstruct U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as mayor.
“We don’t need a communist running around this country — but if we’ve got one, I’ll be keeping a close eye on him for the sake of the nation,” Trump said, echoing similar remarks he made after last week’s primary.
Mamdani, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Uganda who immigrated to the U.S. as a young child, identifies as a democratic socialist. He has pledged to defend New York City’s status as a sanctuary city and to protect its immigrant communities.
In response, Mamdani said Trump’s threats were not based on any wrongdoing, but rather on his refusal to allow ICE to “terrorize our city.”
“His words are not only an attack on democracy but a warning to every New Yorker who dares to speak out: if you refuse to stay silent, they’ll come after you,” Mamdani said.
Trump endorses Eric Adams and claims he offered the mayor 'assistance'
Mamdani’s win sets the stage for what could be a chaotic and contentious race in November. Mayor Eric Adams, who secured the Democratic nomination four years ago, is now running for reelection as an independent. Republican Curtis Sliwa has also entered the race, and former Governor Andrew Cuomo is keeping his “Fight and Deliver” ballot line for the general election, though he has yet to confirm whether he’ll actively campaign.
Trump, a New York native who relocated to Florida during his first term as president, acknowledged that Mamdani has a strong shot at winning, given the city’s heavily Democratic voter base. However, he also expressed support for Adams, calling him a preferable alternative to Mamdani.
“You’ve got a solid independent candidate — Mayor Adams, who’s a good person,” Trump said.
Trump also brought up the federal corruption and bribery case against Adams — charges that the Justice Department eventually dropped. Trump, both before and after his election victory last year, had criticized the case brought by President Biden’s administration.
“I gave him a little help — he was facing some trouble,” Trump remarked.
Adams has notably avoided publicly criticizing Trump and has said he’s willing to cooperate with the administration’s deportation policies in cases involving violent offenders. When asked Tuesday about Trump’s threat to arrest Mamdani, Adams did not offer a direct response.
“No one — elected or otherwise — should interfere with federal authorities doing their job. Because if someone opposes ICE, what happens when they oppose the IRS? Or the Environmental Protection Agency? You can’t pick and choose,” Adams told reporters.
In response, Mamdani dismissed Trump’s endorsement of Adams as unsurprising but argued it underscores the need for change at City Hall.
“Trump’s praise for Mayor Adams is predictable — and it only makes clearer how urgent it is to end this mayor’s time in office,” Mamdani said.
Cuomo remains a player in the race.
Cuomo has yet to announce whether he will officially remain in the race and run an active general election campaign as the “Fight and Deliver” candidate, following a lackluster primary performance. If he does move forward, Cuomo is expected to target Adams by linking him to Trump, while also portraying Mamdani as too radical and inexperienced to govern the nation’s largest city.
Historically, Cuomo and Adams have drawn support from similar voter groups — moderate Democrats and Black New Yorkers — though early data suggests Mamdani has significantly cut into that base.
Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, released a statement Tuesday confirming that the former governor has not yet made a final decision but is seriously considering an active campaign. Azzopardi pointed to a “massive surge” in voters under 30 as a key factor that made Mamdani’s victory difficult to predict.
“Extremism, division, and hollow promises won’t solve this city’s problems,” Azzopardi said. “While this primary revealed what motivates a segment of the electorate, it does not reflect the views of the majority. We’ll continue engaging with New Yorkers citywide as we determine the path forward.”
Azzopardi also took a jab at Adams, noting that despite Cuomo’s underwhelming performance in the primary, he still earned over 24,000 more votes than Adams did in his 2021 primary victory.
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s Tuesday statement focused on Adams, with no mention of Cuomo.
“Last Tuesday, New Yorkers delivered a clear message — they want an affordable city, a forward-looking politics, and a leader who will stand up to rising authoritarianism,” Mamdani said. “I’m honored by the support of over 545,000 New Yorkers and look forward to growing this coalition as we defeat Eric Adams and build a city government that puts working people first.”
