Trump blasts Mamdani's 'angry' victory speech, urges mayor-elect to 'respect Washington'

US President Donald Trump has hit out at New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, describing his election night victory speech as “very angry” and cautioning that he is “off to a bad start” unless he shows respect towards Washington.

In an interview with Fox News in Miami on Wednesday, Trump said Mamdani’s tone was hostile and suggested that cooperation between the federal government and the incoming city administration could be strained if the new mayor continued on the same path.

“Yeah, I thought it was a very angry speech — certainly angry toward me,” Trump remarked. “He should be nice to me. I’m the one that has to approve a lot of things coming to him. So he’s off to a bad start.”

Mamdani, who made history as New York’s first immigrant mayor-elect, used his fiery victory address to take direct aim at Trump, vowing to challenge corruption, protect workers, and defend immigrants amid the president’s ongoing crackdown on immigration.

“After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him,” Mamdani declared to roaring applause. “And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.”

The 33-year-old politician, born to Ugandan-Indian parents, said New York would remain “a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and now, led by an immigrant.”

He also took aim at Trump’s real estate record, pledging to hold “bad landlords” accountable and end what he described as “a culture of corruption” that allows billionaires to dodge taxes.

“So hear me, President Trump, when I say this,” Mamdani said. “To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”

Trump ‘feels threatened’ by NYC mayoral campaign: Zohran Mamdani

Responding to the remarks, Trump called Mamdani’s statements “dangerous,” warning that such rhetoric could harm his prospects as mayor.

“It’s a very dangerous statement for him to make, actually,” Trump said. “He has to be a little bit respectful of Washington, because if he’s not, he doesn’t have a chance of succeeding.”

While noting that he does not wish Mamdani success personally, Trump added that he hopes New York City thrives under his administration. “I’m so torn, because I would like to see the new mayor do well, because I love New York. I really love New York,” he said.

The president also suggested that Mamdani should take the initiative in establishing communication with the White House. “He should reach out to us really. I’m here. We’ll see what happens. But I think it would be more appropriate for him to reach out.”

Referring to the new mayor’s political stance, Trump branded Mamdani a “communist”, dismissing his ideology as unworkable. “Communism or the concept of communism has not worked for thousands of years. I tend to doubt it’s going to work this time,” he said.

Mamdani’s victory marks a political shift in New York, setting the stage for what could become a tense relationship between City Hall and the White House.

With agency inputs