Zohran Mamdani reacts strongly to Trump’s ‘arrest’ threat: ‘Will not accept this intimidation’

Trump warned that Zohran Mamdani could face arrest if he resists ICE actions

Indian-origin Democrat Zohran Mamdani, running for mayor of New York, has hit out at President Donald Trump for threatening to arrest him over his vow to resist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

“The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp, and deported,” Mamdani said in a statement that he shared on X. “Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city.”

“His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy but 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,” Mamdani added.

Mamdani, the son of acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair and a staunch opponent of US immigration enforcement, further stated, “We will not accept this intimidation.”

He also lashed out at the US President for praising New York’s current Mayor, Eric Adams, “in his authoritarian threats".

“That Trump included praise for Eric Adams in his authoritarian threats is unsurprising, but highlights the urgency of bringing an end to this Mayor's time in City Hall. At the very moment when MAGA Republicans are attempting to destroy the social safety net, kick millions of New Yorkers off of healthcare and enrich their billionaire donors at the expense of working families, it is a scandal that Eric Adams echoes this President's division, distraction and hate,” the statement read, adding that voters will “resoundingly reject” it in November, when voting for the mayoral election takes place.

What did Trump say?

Trump warned that Zohran Mamdani could face arrest if he resists ICE actions. The president also continued to allege the 33-year-old Democratic socialist is a "communist" while talking to reporters, according to ABC News.

When asked about Mamdani’s pledge during his Democratic primary victory speech to block masked ICE agents from deporting immigrants -- Trump responded, "Well then, we'll have to arrest him."

"Look, we don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I'm going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation," Trump said.

The US President also referred to Mamdani as a "pure, true communist" and a "total nut job" and stated that he will "have a lot of fun with him" if he is elected.

“I think he’s terrible, he’s a communist. The last thing we need is a communist…it’s going to be a lot of fun watching…don’t worry, he’s not going to run away with anything," he said.