Trump says Mamdani's NYC mayoral win 'not expected'

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Democrat Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York City's mayoral election was unexpected and not beneficial for his party.

"Last night, it was not expected," Trump told Republican senators during a breakfast meeting.

"I don't think it was good for Republicans ... I'm not sure it was good for anybody," Trump said, adding: "But we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot."

Trump has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, branding him a communist and warning that federal funding for New York could be cut if he wins.

Mamdani, 34, defeated independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa on Tuesday, becoming the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of the nation's largest city.

The self-described democratic socialist ran on a platform focused on affordability and social services, promising free buses, universal childcare, city-run grocery stores, rent-stabilized housing, and raising the minimum wage.