Donald Trump used his return to 60 Minutes to take aim at New York City’s rising political star, Zohran Mamdani, and tossed out one of his trademark boasts while he was at it. When asked about comparisons between himself and the 34-year-old Democrat, Trump smirked and said, “Well, I think I’m a much better-looking person than him, right?”
The quip didn’t stop there; Trump went on to label Mamdani “a communist, not a socialist,” claiming the young politician was “far worse than a socialist.” The comments came during his interview with Norah O’Donnell, where Trump also hinted he might cut federal support for New York if Mamdani wins Tuesday’s mayoral election. “It’s gonna be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York,” he said, adding that funds would be wasted “if you have a communist running New York.”
It was Trump’s first time back on 60 Minutes in years, and his appearance came after a highly publicized settlement with CBS. The network’s parent company reportedly paid him $16 million to end a lawsuit over an earlier interview he claimed was unfairly edited to help Democrats. The new interview was seen as an uneasy truce between Trump and the network as the presidential race heats up.
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s campaign has been riding a wave of grassroots enthusiasm. The Democratic nominee, who represents Queens in the New York State Assembly, has drawn big crowds with his “New York Is Not for Sale” rallies and has received praise from progressives like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Barack Obama. His message focuses on tackling corporate greed and reclaiming the city for working people.
“We stand on the precipice of taking this city back from corrupt politicians and the billionaires that fund them,” Mamdani told supporters over the weekend. “New York is not for sale.”
Helping boost his profile is a cheeky online movement called “Hot Girls for Zohran.” The group’s Instagram page, which has thousands of followers, blends political organizing with humor and viral memes. Their tagline, “You’re voting for Zohran Mamdani? That’s hot,” has turned the campaign into something of a social media phenomenon.
The momentum hasn’t gone unnoticed by Trump’s allies. Supporters of independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, who lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, have tried to replicate the trend with a spinoff campaign called “Hot Girls for Cuomo.”
According to the latest Atlas poll, Mamdani leads the race with 41 percent of the vote, followed by Cuomo at 34 percent and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 24 percent. If Mamdani wins, he would become New York’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor.
Trump’s comments about his looks may have been intended as light-hearted, but they also underline how much the president can’t resist making himself the center of attention. With Election Day around the corner, his jab at Mamdani only added fuel to a race that’s already drawn national eyes and plenty of late-night jokes. So far, the MAGA attacks has done little to slow down his momentum.
