Trump Criticizes NYC Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani’s Victory Speech, Says ‘He Should Be Nice to Me’
President Trump reacts to Mamdani’s address, warning of challenges ahead while the Mayor elect pledges to tackle crises and stand firm on federal issues
New York, Nov 6: United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday voiced displeasure over New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory speech, describing it as “angry” and stating that Mamdani should be “nice” to him.
“I thought it was a very angry speech, certainly angry toward me. And I think he should be very nice to me. You know, I’m the one that sort of has to approve a lot of things coming to him. So he’s off to a bad start,” Trump said.
Mamdani, 34, who made history as the city’s first Muslim Mayor, had directly addressed Trump during his victory speech on Tuesday, asking the President to “turn the volume up” on his television to hear the crowd’s enthusiasm. He emphasized that his administration would confront the “twin crises” of an authoritarian federal administration and an affordability crisis in the city.
Trump, who had earlier labeled Mamdani a communist and threatened to withhold federal funding if he won, reiterated the importance of Washington’s respect. “He has to be a little bit respectful of Washington, because if he’s not, he doesn’t have a chance of succeeding. And I want to make him succeed. I want to make the city succeed,” Trump said, adding, “I hope it works out for New York. We’ll help him a little bit, maybe.”
Mamdani, meanwhile, maintained that he would not soften his criticism of Trump but said he would keep channels open for dialogue with the federal administration. He is set to be sworn in as Mayor on January 1, 2026, and has already announced the formation of his transition team.
The political exchange has drawn widespread attention as the Mayor elect prepares to navigate the complexities of leading America’s largest city under a challenging federal backdrop.
