Trump threatens to arrest New York mayoral candidate Mamdani for not cooperating with ICE as controversy grows.

Trump Targets Mamdani Over Immigration Enforcement

President Donald Trump has openly threatened to arrest Zohran Mamdani, a New York State assemblyman and Democratic mayoral candidate, if he fails to comply with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump labeled Mamdani a “communist” and said, “If he doesn’t comply, we’ll have to arrest him. We don’t need a communist in this country.”

Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and is a Muslim, recently won the Democratic primary for New York City mayor. He has positioned himself as a Democratic socialist and pledged during his campaign to block ICE agents from deporting residents in New York. “We send him money, we send him all the things that he needs to run a government,” Trump remarked, adding that he would monitor Mamdani “very carefully on behalf of the nation.”

Trump intensified his criticism on Tuesday, questioning Mamdani’s stance and leadership. He referenced Mamdani’s recent refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a slogan used to support Palestinian resistance against Israel. “Frankly, I’ve heard he’s a total nut job,” Trump said. “I think the people in New York are crazy because they go this route. We will have a communist, a pure, true communist, for the first time.”

Free Speech and Political Tensions Escalate

In interviews, Mamdani has explained his decision not to condemn “globalize the intifada,” stating he did not want to “police language” and preferred to express his vision through his own words and actions. “My concern is, to start to walk down the line of language and making clear what language I believe is permissible or impermissible, takes me into a place similar to that of the president, who is looking to do those very kinds of things, putting people in jail for writing an op-ed, putting them in jail for protesting,” Mamdani said during an NBC News interview.

His position has drawn criticism from within his own party. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also from New York, told ABC News that “globalize the intifada” is not “acceptable phrasing” and said Mamdani would have to clarify his views as his campaign progresses. The phrase itself has become a focal point for debates over free speech and political boundaries in the mayoral race.

Despite the controversy, Mamdani has stated publicly that he believes Israel has the right to exist and has a responsibility to uphold international law. “Like all nations, I believe it has the right to exist and a responsibility also to uphold international law,” Mamdani said on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

The ongoing confrontation between Trump and Mamdani highlights broader political rifts in New York and across the country, especially regarding immigration enforcement, the limits of free expression, and ideological diversity. As the mayoral race continues, these debates are likely to shape the city’s political landscape and national discourse.