NYC Socialist Mamdani Is ‘Where the Democrat Party Is Headed,’ Leavitt Warns

New York City socialist Democrat mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is a preview of “where the Democrat Party is headed,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Daily Signal.

“This is truly where the Democrat Party is headed,” Leavitt said at Thursday’s briefing. “Clearly, they learned nothing from November 5 in the president’s overwhelming victory.”

President Donald Trump has said he will not get involved in the New York City mayoral race, though he thinks Mamdani “would be a disaster for New York,” she said.

Mamdani “has made very well-known antisemitic statements. It would be a disaster for New York and for this country,” Leavitt said, “and I think it’s quite telling that this individual, a known communist, has been spending time in Washington this week meeting with leaders on Capitol Hill.”

Mamdani had breakfast in Washington on Wednesday with fellow socialists, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a fellow New York Democrat, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., speaks with New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani (right), a fellow Democrat, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Wednesday in Washington. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

When asked by The Daily Signal why the president said he would not be getting involved in the mayoral race, Leavitt said he “reserves the right to get involved in races or not get involved in races.”

“He’s made the decision not to weigh in on the New York mayoral race, as you rightly pointed out,” Leavitt said, “although he has gone as far to say he absolutely does not want to see Mamdani elected, who is a known communist, who supports the abolishment of private property, the defunding of police.”