“Afraid of Me?”: Mamdani on Moderate Democrats Amidst Trump Threat

New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, facing President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off federal funds if he “doesn’t behave,” has mused whether moderate Democrats are “afraid of me,” asserting that his progressive platform is a return to the party’s roots. Mamdani denies Trump’s “communist” label and remains committed to taxing the wealthy.
Trump’s warning, delivered during a Fox News interview, highlights the deep ideological divide not only between him and Mamdani but also within the Democratic Party itself. The potential withholding of over $100 billion in federal funds adds an extraordinary layer of pressure to the upcoming mayoral election and its implications for New York City.
On NBC’s Meet the Press, Mamdani directly addressed his relationship with moderate Democrats, suggesting they are “catching up to this election.” He articulated his vision for a more equitable New York, inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s call for wealth redistribution, and his plan to shift the tax burden from “overtaxed homeowners” to wealthier neighborhoods, based on economic assessment.
Mamdani’s primary victory over Andrew Cuomo, while securing progressive backing from figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has indeed caused apprehension among some moderate Democrats. However, Mamdani believes his focus on working people offers a “path out of this moment where we’re facing authoritarianism in Washington DC” under the Trump administration.