The Media Line: Israeli, Jewish Leaders Decry Mamdani’s Win as Trump Says ‘He Needs to Be Nice to Me’  

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Israeli, Jewish Leaders Decry Mamdani’s Win as Trump Says ‘He Needs to Be Nice to Me’  

By The Media Line Staff  

Israeli and Jewish leaders voiced alarm Tuesday over the election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s first Muslim and socialist mayor, while US President Donald Trump said he expects cooperation from the new administration.  

Speaking to Fox News, President Trump said Mamdani “needs to respect Washington and its financial support for New York—otherwise he has no chance of success.” The president added, “I’d like to see the new mayor succeed. I think he needs to be very nice to me—I’m the one who has to approve things. He needs to reach out to us.”  

Mamdani, 34, a Democratic socialist and state assemblyman from Queens, defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa to secure the city’s top office. His campaign drew controversy for past anti-Israel remarks, including a 2023 statement linking the NYPD to the IDF and a vow to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested if he visited the United Nations in Manhattan.  

Israeli officials reacted sharply after the results were announced. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel called Mamdani’s victory “deeply concerning given his history of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish rhetoric.” She said Israel “stands with our brothers and sisters in New York and will continue working with community leaders to ensure their safety and dignity.”  

Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu accused Mamdani’s Jewish supporters of betraying their own community, calling them “Jews who hate Jews.” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir described the result as “a moment when antisemitism triumphed over common sense.”  

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli went further, labeling the mayor-elect a “Hamas supporter” and urging New York’s Jewish residents to consider emigrating to Israel.  

In his victory speech, Mamdani sought to allay concerns, promising to confront antisemitism and Islamophobia alike. “We will build a city that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and never wavers in the fight against Jew-hate,” he said, adding that Muslims would also “know they belong—not just in the five boroughs, but in the halls of power.”