Trump Coins New Nickname For Mamdani, Presses NYC Mayoral Candidates To Bow Out

President Donald Trump rolled out a new moniker Friday for communist antisemite Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee leading New York City’s mayoral race, while urging other contenders to clear the way for a head-to-head contest.

“I call him my little communist. He’s my little communist mayor,” Trump said of Mamdani during a lengthy interview on Fox News.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old lawmaker from Queens, stunned observers in June by defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine others to win the Democratic nomination for mayor of the nation’s largest city.

Mamdani has defended the use of calls for genocide against Jews and has praised Hamas during his brief, failed stint as a rapper.

His platform includes eliminating fares on the city’s buses, making CUNY tuition-free, freezing rents on municipal housing, offering free childcare for children up to age five, and launching government-run grocery stores; a common sight in the Soviet Union.

He’s also quoted communist themes outright, such as wanting to “seize the means of production.”

After Mamdani’s primary victory, Trump quickly branded him a “100% Communist Lunatic.” Since then, the president has repeatedly warned that New York would become “a communist city” if Mamdani prevails in November.

“We should never be in a position where we’re talking about a communist,” Trump said during Friday’s interview.

Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, would become New York City’s first Muslim and first millennial mayor if elected. He has rejected Trump’s characterization, saying he is not a communist.

With fewer than two months left until Election Day, new polls show Mamdani holding a wide lead over the rest of the field in the heavily Democratic city. Surveys from Quinnipiac University and The New York Times/Siena College place him roughly 22 points ahead of Cuomo and other rivals.

Cuomo, now running as an independent, is in second place, followed by Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, also running as an independent after bypassing the Democratic primary, trails in fourth.

Despite speculation about deals to thin the field, Sliwa and Adams have pledged to stay in the race. Reports have suggested Trump allies floated possible administration roles if they dropped out, but neither candidate has shown interest.

Trump, who grew up in New York but now resides in Florida, said last week he wanted the race narrowed to one challenger against Mamdani. “I would like to see two people drop out and have it be one on one. And I think that’s a race that could be won,” he said.

On Friday, he added, “I think they have to have one stay. And it would look to me like Cuomo frankly is leading the other two. But … even one candidate wouldn’t work at this point.”

“I’m not looking at the polls too carefully, but it would look like he is going to win and that is a rebellion. It is a rebellion against bad candidates, OK? They’re tired of it,” Trump said.

The president also had sharp words for Sliwa. “Look, I’m a Republican, but Curtis is not exactly primetime,” Trump remarked.

Sliwa, in an interview with Fox News Digital last month, said he hasn’t spoken with Trump recently. “We’ve had a love-hate relationship. Everybody knows that,” he said.

A Quinnipiac poll suggested that if Adams exited, Mamdani would lead Cuomo 46%–30%, with Sliwa at 17%. The Times/Siena survey showed Mamdani ahead of Cuomo 48%–44% in a direct matchup.