Zohran Mamdani Laughs Away Trump Labeling Him A 'Communist'

The self-described Democratic Socialist also told "Meet the Press" there is no reason they should be billionaires in a country with so much inequality.

Zohran Mamdani brushed off President Donald Trump calling him a “communist” after his landmark win to be the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor.

Asked about the president’s remarks during an appearance on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Mamdani smiled as he told host Kristen Welker why he’s “not” a communist and why he’s ready to face Trump’s attacks.

“I have already had to start to get used to the fact that the president will talk about how I look, how I sound, where I’m from, who I am,” he said. “Ultimately, because he wants to distract from what I’m fighting for, and I’m fighting for the very working people that he ran a campaign to empower, that he has since then betrayed.”

Mamdani then explained the reason he calls himself a Democratic Socialist, citing the words of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

“When we talk about my politics, you know I call myself a Democratic Socialist in many ways inspired by the words of Dr. King from decades ago,” he said. “‘Call it democracy or call it Democratic Socialist. There has to be a better distribution of wealth for all of god’s children in this country.’”