Trump’s Interest in Mamdani’s Mayoral Bid

Mark Halperin shared insights on Fox News, noting that President Donald Trump has specific intentions concerning Zoran Mamdani, who recently earned the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor during the June 24 primary. Mamdani received 43.5% of the first-choice votes, surpassing former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 36.3%.

On “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Halperin suggested that Trump may want to make Mamdani a key player in his campaign strategy for 2026. Halperin remarked, “Donald Trump aims to be his co-star in this unfolding drama; he wants to revisit it daily, observing the developments.”

While Halperin noted that only initial results from the ranked-choice voting system are available, he anticipates that Mamdani’s lead will increase once the complete results are tallied. He stated, “We currently have just the first outcomes. We’re expecting a comprehensive result tomorrow, and I believe his lead will expand, solidifying his status as the official Democratic candidate.”

He also pointed out a noticeable lack of support from key Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Halperin questioned, “Why aren’t prominent elected Democrats supporting the Democratic candidate?” He added, “If they do, it will prompt more reactions from Trump.”

Dan Trenne, a former Democratic strategist, shed light on why significant figures like Schumer and Jeffries have distanced themselves from Mamdani, indicating that it reveals deeper issues within the party. He expressed, “They realize that Democratic Senate and House members have to engage with Mamdani, and there’s a struggle to navigate that.”

In a recent interview on “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo,” Trump expressed strong disapproval of Mamdani’s candidacy.