Title: Mamdani Discusses Trump's Threats on Federal Funding for NYC

(NEW YORK) — Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City and current state assemblyman, addressed recent comments made by President Donald Trump during an appearance on ABC's "The View" on Wednesday. His remarks came shortly after incumbent Mayor Eric Adams exited the race. Mamdani expressed that he is not worried about Trump's threats to withhold federal funding from New York City if he is elected.

On Monday, Trump posted on his social media platform, stating, "Remember, he needs the money from me, as President, in order to fulfill all of his FAKE Communist promises. He won’t be getting any of it, so what’s the point of voting for him?" In response, Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist, clarified that he does not consider himself a communist.

Mamdani remarked, "This is just one of the many threats that Donald Trump makes. Every day he wakes up, he makes another threat, a lot of the times about the city that he actually comes from. What is angering to me is not what Donald Trump does, because we’ve come to expect that from him, but it’s the idea that we have to accept that as the law, the idea that we have to accept that as normal. We have to fight that because we know, not only is it an overreach from a federal administration, it’s an example of what he’s done elsewhere."

When asked about Trump's recent proposal to use U.S. cities for military training, Mamdani stated, "[Trump] wants to do a whole lot of things with this city, and we’re going to fight him every step of the way, as long as it is something that comes at the expense of this city."

Mamdani also addressed the lack of endorsements from prominent Democratic leaders, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. He downplayed the significance of endorsements, saying, "I wouldn’t be sitting here with you if it was endorsements that made all the difference. It was the people of the city."

The candidate has faced criticism for his views on the Israel-Hamas conflict, particularly for labeling Israel's actions as "genocide" and his reluctance to endorse Israel as a Jewish state, despite affirming its right to exist. The Israeli government has contested claims of genocide.

In response to a question from co-host Sara Haines about why voters should trust his judgment on this issue, Mamdani emphasized that his focus would be on New York City. He stated, "Millions of New Yorkers, myself included, care deeply about what’s happening in Israel and Palestine. To be very, very clear, of course, I condemn Hamas. Of course, I’ve called October 7 [the attack on Israel by Hamas] what it was, which is a horrific war crime. My belief in a universality in international law is also the same set of beliefs that have led me to describe what’s happening in Gaza as a genocide."

Mamdani concluded, "I can’t stop that as the mayor of the city. I can make clear my own values, my own commitments, and it is a value and a commitment to humanity, to safety, to justice for all people, that extends to everyone, Israelis, Palestinians, and everyone else."