Subhechcha Ganguly 
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of using intimidation tactics after Trump publicly suggested arresting and deporting him — despite Mamdani being a U.S. citizen.
Mamdani, the Democratic nominee and a rising progressive voice in the city, responded strongly to Trump’s remarks, calling them an attack on democracy. “The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, detained, and deported — not for breaking any law, but for refusing to let ICE terrorize New York City,” Mamdani said in a statement quoted by the Associated Press.
He added, “Trump’s comments are meant to scare us into silence. But we won’t be intimidated. This is bigger than just me — it’s a warning to every New Yorker who dares to speak up.”
The controversy erupted after Trump, during a visit to the new “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida, was asked about Mamdani’s promise to resist federal immigration raids. Trump responded, “Well, then we’ll have to arrest him… We don’t need a communist in this country.” He also repeated a false claim questioning Mamdani’s citizenship: “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally. We’re going to look into everything.”
Trump has labeled Mamdani a “Communist Lunatic” and a “total nut job” on Truth Social, asserting, “I won’t let this Communist destroy New York. I’ll save the city and make it hot and great again!”
Mamdani, 33, is a U.S. citizen of Indian and Ugandan heritage. He moved to New York as a child and is the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani. If elected, he would become the first Muslim and Indian-American mayor of New York City.
Running on a bold progressive platform, Mamdani has pledged free public buses, rent freezes on stabilized apartments, city-run grocery stores, and higher taxes on wealthy neighborhoods. He has denied being a communist, stating, “I don’t think we should have billionaires, but I want to work with everyone.”
With polls currently showing Mamdani leading both incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa, Trump’s escalating attacks appear to signal growing concern within conservative circles about Mamdani’s momentum ahead of the November election.
