Mamdani clinches NYC Democratic primary while Trump threatens arrest if he resists ICE as mayor

WNN_Zohran Mamdani clinched victory Tuesday in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor and quickly drew more attacks and threats of arrest from President Donald Trump, a Queens native likely to be a central figure in one of this year’s most important contests.
Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assemblyman and democratic socialist, had been all but assured to be the party’s nominee after the June 24 primary. But because Mamdani hadn’t won a majority of first-choice votes, it took a tabulation of the city’s ranked-choice votes released Tuesday to put Mamdani over 50% he needed to win.
Tuesday’s results, which aren’t final but include nearly all the votes that will be counted in the race, showed Mamdani defeating Cuomo 56% to 44% in the final round, a resounding and once-unthinkable victory that has shaken national politics and advances him to November’s general election.

“This is just the beginning of our expanding coalition to make New York City affordable,” Mamdani wrote on X after the results were posted. “And we will do it together.”

Democrats are trying to figure out how to capitalize on Mamdani’s success with younger progressives, even as some distance themselves from his ideas to provide free busing, enact a rent freeze and raise taxes on millionaires, as well as his criticism of Israel. Republicans, meanwhile, have tried to elevate Mamdani as the face of their
“We don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation,” Trump said, repeating an attack he made last week after the primary.

Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and came to the United States as a young child, is a naturalized U.S. citizen. He is a self-described democratic socialist who has said he would work to preserve New York City’s sanctuary status and help protect its migrant residents.

He said in a statement that Trump had threatened him “not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city.”

“His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you,” Mamdani said.

Trump backs Eric Adams and says he offered the mayor ‘help’

Mamdani’s victory sets up a potentially messy contest in November. Mayor Eric Adams, four years after winning the Democratic primary, is seeking reelection as an independent. Republican Curtis Sliwa is running. And Cuomo, the former New York governor, is keeping his “Fight and Deliver” ballot line for the general election, although he hasn’t committed to running an active campaign.