Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani told Newsmax on Wednesday that Zohran Mamdani's Democratic primary victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is a "nightmare," calling it proof of communist influence overtaking the city.
In a fiery reaction on "Finnerty," Giuliani denounced Mamdani's shocking defeat of Cuomo. Mamdani, 33, would become New York City's first Muslim mayor if elected in the general election.
"This is a nightmare," Giuliani said. "I moved out of New York City about a year ago. I still love it more than any city in the world. I'm in mourning for my city."
Giuliani, who gained national recognition as New York mayor for his handling of the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, explicitly linked Mamdani's progressive platform to communist theory and criticized voters for their decision.
"This is about the most insane thing the residents of the city could do," Giuliani continued. "This man [Mamdani] wants to do everything he can do to ruin our government and our civilization. He is exactly what Karl Marx wrote about 150 years ago. He's the culmination of years and years of communist influence on our city, on our schools, and on our government."
Mamdani, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist representing Astoria, Queens, in the New York State Assembly, campaigned on progressive initiatives, including reduced funding for law enforcement and opening publicly funded grocery stores.
These policies drew Giuliani's sharpest criticism.
"All of the communists that planned this, his policies would destroy us," Giuliani warned. "It would destroy New York City. Any one of them defunding the police alone would, to the extent they did it for just a little while, [and] we had a terrible crime wave."
Giuliani credited current Mayor Eric Adams for restoring some order after the crime wave that gripped the city after earlier cuts to police budgets. He asserted that Adams had made improvements "by applying our old strategies," referencing Giuliani's tenure as mayor when he pursued tough-on-crime policies.
"Adams has straightened some of it out. We're still feeling it," Giuliani acknowledged. "But this would be free… free grocery stores?"
Mamdani's victory, seen by his supporters as a transformative step forward for the city, has sparked controversy due to his outspoken positions on economic equality and policing. Considering broader conservative concerns, Giuliani framed Mamdani's ascent as symbolic of a long-running communist effort to influence the city.
"They must be turning over in their graves, extremely happy," Giuliani said of communist ideologues, suggesting Mamdani's win fulfilled long-standing Marxist goals.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.