Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a democratic socialist and the newly elected mayor of New York City, has publicly referred to Donald Trump as a fascist on multiple occasions, primarily in criticism of Trump’s authoritarian-leaning policies, threats against immigrants, and perceived betrayal of working-class Americans.

This rhetoric appears rooted in Mamdani’s opposition to Trump’s agenda, including mass deportation plans via ICE, divisive tactics that fan cultural and racial tensions, and legislation that Mamdani argues harms everyday people by stripping away healthcare, food assistance, and economic protections while favoring the wealthy.

A key instance occurred during Mamdani’s election victory speech on November 4, 2025, where he explicitly vowed to “reject Donald Trump’s fascism” and use his mayoral power to block federal agents from deporting New Yorkers.

He framed this as a response to oligarchy and authoritarianism, emphasizing that dismantling the conditions enabling such power, like economic inequality and exploitation, is the way to “terrify a despot” like Trump and prevent future threats.

Mamdani also highlighted Trump’s personal attacks on him, noting that Trump had called for his arrest, deportation, and denaturalization, likely due to Mamdani’s immigrant background (born in Uganda to Indian parents), Muslim faith, and advocacy for progressive policies.

He accused Trump of using these attacks to distract from broken campaign promises on affordability and cost-of-living relief, instead prioritizing division and wealth transfers to billionaires.

This label resurfaced during their first face-to-face meeting at the White House on November 21, 2025.

When a reporter asked Mamdani if he was affirming that Trump is a fascist, referencing his prior statements, Mamdani began to respond by saying, “I have spoken about,” before Trump interrupted with a laugh, saying, “That is OK. You can just say yes. It is easier than explaining.”

Despite their ideological differences (Trump has called Mamdani a “communist” and “jihadist”), the meeting was surprisingly cordial, with both men focusing on shared goals like New York City’s affordability and crime reduction.

Trump shrugged off the “fascist” label, joking he had been called worse and expressing confidence in Mamdani’s potential as mayor.