skip to contentAdvertisementThe 34-year-old state lawmaker defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa to become New York’s youngest mayor in over a century.By: Express Web Desk New Delhi,November 5, 2025 09:52 PM IST First published on: Nov 5, 2025 at 09:52 PM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookNew York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani acknowledges supporters as he takes the stage for a rally in New York. (AP Photo)New York’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani struck a careful balance between cooperation and confrontation in his first remarks after his historic victory offering to work with President Donald Trump on “cheaper groceries and a lower cost of living,” but warning he would “utilise the courts” if the president tried to punish the city for electing a democratic socialist.“I have said time and again that I will work with the president if he wants to work together to deliver on his campaign promises of cheaper groceries or a lower cost of living,” Mamdani told NY1 on Wednesday, adding pointedly that he would not “be intimidated” by threats from the White House.The 34-year-old state lawmaker, who defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa to become New York’s youngest mayor in over a century, made his stance clear during a post-election media blitz, signalling an immediate test of wills with Trump, who had vowed to defund the city if Mamdani won.Speaking to ABC’s Good Morning America, Mamdani said his administration would not treat Trump’s orders as law “just by virtue of the fact that President Trump is saying them.”“The first thing is, you actually utilise the courts,” he said. “You stop treating things as being law just because he declares them so.”He cited California’s legal battles during Trump’s first presidency as a model of resistance: “You can look at the example of California, where the Attorney General, the governor and the mayor of LA came together, filing a lawsuit in opposition to the deployment of the National Guard.”Mamdani, who has identified as a democratic socialist and campaigned on policies like rent freezes, free bus services and universal childcare, doubled down on his message of defiance — but also left the door open for pragmatic cooperation.“For too long, what New Yorkers have seen is a mayor who was willing to work with the president at the expense of the people,” he told NY1. “If the president looks to come after the people of this city, I will be there standing up for them every step of the way.”In the lead-up to the election, Trump had repeatedly targeted Mamdani, calling him a “communist” and warning that a socialist mayor would mean “the end of New York as we know it.” The president had also threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if New Yorkers voted for him.At his victory party on Tuesday night, Mamdani appeared unfazed. “Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up,” he said to cheers from supporters. “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him.”Trump quickly fired back on Truth Social, writing, “…AND SO IT BEGINS!”Hours later, he acknowledged widespread Republican losses across the country but avoided naming Mamdani directly. “We had that big, beautiful victory exactly one year ago,” Trump told Republican senators at a White House breakfast.“And last night was, you know, not expected to be a victory. It was very Democrat areas. But I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I’m not sure it was good for anybody.”AdvertisementAdvertisementLoading Taboola...