New York [US], November 5 : In a landmark victory, 34-year-old Democrat Zohran Mamdani celebrated his win in the fiercely contested New York City mayoral election with a rousing speech in Brooklyn. Mamdani, who will become the city's youngest mayor in over five decades, addressed the crowd on a message of "hope" in a time of "darkness."
During his victory speech, Mamdani directly challenged US President Donald Trump, targeting the Republican leader's threats to restrict federal funding if he won. He told Trump, "Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you. Turn the volume up," adding, "To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us."
He also vowed to tackle economic exploitation in the city, saying, "We will hold bad landlords to account because the Donald Trumps of our city have grown far too comfortable taking advantage of their tenants. We will put an end to the culture of corruption that has allowed billionaires like Trump to evade taxation and exploit tax breaks."
The crowd erupted in applause as Mamdani spoke about New York serving as a beacon in challenging times, declaring that the city would "be the light" amid darkness.
Highlighting workers' rights, Mamdani said, "We will stand alongside unions and expand labour protections because we know, just as Donald Trump does, that when working people have ironclad rights, the bosses who seek to extort them become very small indeed."
Reaffirming his identity and political stance, Mamdani addressed criticism about his age, faith, and ideology, stating, "The conventional wisdom would tell you that I am far from the perfect candidate. I am young, despite my best efforts to grow older. I am Muslim. I am a Democratic socialist. And most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this."
Mamdani's victory is being hailed as a historic moment for New York City, marking both a generational and symbolic shift in the city's politics.