Trump promises to arrest and deport NYC’s ‘communist’ mayor frontrunner Zohran Mamdani if he defies ICE

President Donald Trump upped his attacks on New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani Tuesday afternoon, saying he would arrest or even deport the Democratic socialist if he defies Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Trump was in Florida touring the Alligator Alcatraz ICE detention facility when asked for a second time Tuesday about Mamdani, who looks poised to lock up the New York City mayoral Democratic primary, which uses ranked-choice voting and thus takes time to tabulate. 

A reporter pointed out to Trump that Mamdani has already said he plans to defy ICE officials if he’s elected in the fall.

‘Well then, we’ll have to arrest him,’ the president said, adding moments later, ‘a lot of people are saying he’s here illegally.’ 

‘We’re going to look at everything,’ the president added. 

Mamdani is a 33-year-old Ugandan-born New York state assemblyman who immigrated to the United States at age 7. 

He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018. 

Trump’s deportation threat came after he labeled Mamdani a ‘communist’ and called New York City voters ‘crazy’ Tuesday morning on the White House South Lawn.  

President Donald Trump upped his attacks on New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani Tuesday afternoon, saying he would arrest or even deport the Democratic socialist if he defies Immigration and Customs Enforcement

‘I think he’s terrible. He’s a communist,’ Trump said on the South Lawn. ‘The last thing we need is a communist. I said there will never be socialism in the United States. So we have a communist?’ Trump asked. 

The president had been asked about Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the use of the term ‘globalize the intifada,’ a pro-Palestinian slogan that has encouraged violence against Israelis and Jews. 

‘I think he’s bad news and I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with him watching him because he has to come right through this building to get his money,’ the president added. ‘And don’t worry, he’s not going to run away with anything.’

It’s Congress, not the White House, that controls government spending, but Trump could influence Republicans on the Hill to meddle with federal dollars allocated to New York. 

‘I think he’s, frankly, I’ve heard he’s a total nut job. I think the people in New York are crazy. If they go this route, I think they’re crazy,’ Trump continued. 

The president is a New York City native.

He was born in Queens and pushed his father’s real estate business into Manhattan before turning toward politics. 

He officially moved his primary residence from New York to Florida in 2019, during his first White House term.  

President Donald Trump was asked about New York City’s mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani as he departed the White House Tuesday morning. Trump labeled the Democratic socialist a ‘communist’ and said the city’s voters were ‘crazy’ 

‘We will have a communist for the first time. Really? A pure, true communist,’ Trump continued to rage. 

‘He wants to operate the grocery stores, the department stores. What about the people that are there? I think it’s crazy,’ the president added. 

Mamdani has backed a plan to build five city-owned grocery stores to help with high food costs and food access – as many urban areas suffer from so-called food ‘deserts,’ neighborhoods that lack a privately owned grocery store. 

Critics have labeled the plan both ‘communist’ and ‘socialist.’ 

Trump didn’t address Mamdani’s recent comments about the use of the term ‘globalize the intifada.’ 

During a Sunday sit-down with NBC’s Kristen Welker for Meet the Press, Mamdani was asked about his decision not to condemn the term when asked if it made him uncomfortable. 

Welker then asked Mamdani if he wanted the opportunity to condemn the language now.  

‘That’s not language that I use,’ he replied. ‘The language that I use and the language that I will continue to use to lead this city is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights.’ 

Zohran Mamdani appeared Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press and was pressed by Kristen Welker over what appeared to be his refusal to criticize the term ‘globalize the intifada,’ a pro-Palestinian slogan, which has encouraged violence against Israelis and Jewish people 

He said those rights applied to both Israelis and Palestinians.  

Welker, again, asked Mamdani if he condemned the usage of ‘globalize the intifada.’  

‘I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech in the manner, especially of that of Donald Trump, who has put one New Yorker in jail who has just returned to his family, Mahmoud Khalil, for that very supposed crime of speech,’ he replied. 

Mamdani also said that he has listened to many Jewish New Yorkers about the rise of antisemitism referencing the couple who was gunned down in Washignton, D.C. and the attack in Boulder, Colorado. 

‘And I’ve heard those fears, and I’ve had those conversations, and ultimately, they are part and parcel of why in my campaign, I’ve put forward a commitment to increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800 percent,’ Mamdani said. 

‘Ultimately, what I think I need to show is the ability to not only talk about something but to tackle it and to make clear that there’s no room for antisemitism in this city,’ he added. ‘And we have to root out that bigotry, and ultimately, we do that through the actions. And that is the mayor I will be, one that protects Jewish New Yorkers and lives up to that commitment through the work that I do.’