Trump Threatens to Arrest NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani 

President Donald Trump threatened to have New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani arrested if he prevents federal law enforcement from carrying out immigration-related arrests in the city.

In his recent acceptance speech, Mamdani said if he becomes mayor he would use his power to “stop masked [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents from deporting our neighbors.” 

Asked Tuesday what his response was to Mamdani’s speech, Trump said, “Well then, we’ll have to arrest him.”

“We don’t need a communist in this country,” Trump said (Mamdani has described himself as a democratic socialist). “But if we have one, I’m going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation.”

“A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally,” Trump claimed of Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.

“We’re going to look at everything,” the president added.

In a statement, Mamdani said Trump’s threat was an attack on democracy and “an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: If you speak up, they will come for you.”

“We will not accept this intimidation,” Mamdani added.

Trump, who has repeatedly decried weaponization of executive power, made the threat after multiple Democratic lawmakers and officials, including members of Congress, have been handcuffed and detained by federal authorities in recent weeks. 

The Democrats were largely detained while demonstrating against Trump’ mass deportation efforts.

Mamdani’s recent win in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary set off a wave of racist attacks from Trump officials, Republican members of Congress and prominent voices of the far right.

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) accused Mamdani, who is Muslim, of supporting terrorists through rap lyrics and asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to strip him of his citizenship and deport him.

Asked Monday if Trump thinks it’s worthwhile for the department to investigate Mamdani based on Ogles’s assertions, Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president does not want him to be elected and that the representative’s claims should be investigated “if they are true.”

The Democratic officials recently handcuffed by federal agents include New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who was also a candidate for mayor. Lander was handcuffed by plain-clothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while attempting to escort an immigrant out of a federal building after a court hearing.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for additional details.