By our reporter 5.11.2025
New Yorkers Tuesday November 4 overwhelmingly voted Zohran Mamdani to be their mayor, making him the first South Asian and Muslim to be elected to sit at the helm of the largest city in the US.
Mamdani born to Indian parents in Kampala, Uganda but move to the US when he was seven years old defeated Republican Curtis Sliwa and political heavyweight former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, an independent candidate who was backed by US President Donald Trump’s endorsement only on the eve of the election.
Mamdani wasted no time, in his victory speech he drew the battle line against Mr. Trump who had threatened to cut off funding for the City if he won.
Mamdani said: “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the City that gave rise to him.
“This is not only how we stop Trump. It’s how we stop the next one. So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: ‘Turn the volume up’.”
On Truth Social, Mr. Trump said in response: “…AND SO IT BEGINS!”
Speaking further on Wednesday Mamdani said he would not be intimidated.
“His threats are inevitable,” Mamdani said. “This has nothing to do a safety; it has to do with intimidation.”
“If it was safety, President Trump would be threatening to deploy the National Guard to the top 10 states of crime, eight out of which are all Republican-led,” Mamdani added. “But because of that party he won’t actually be doing it.”