Mamdani discusses midterms, Netanyahu in exclusive CNN interview after Trump meeting

Link Copied! Mamdani dismisses conservative "fear mongering" over wave of democratic socialism By Elizabeth Wolfe Though Democratic socialists are having a moment in American politics, conservative leaders have decried the movement’s leaders and midterm candidates as an arm of the radical left or, in the words of President Donald Trump, “godless Communists.”

But New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview on Monday that he proudly adopts the label of democratic socialist, dismissing the criticism as an attempt to stoke division.

“I think the attempt at fear mongering is a long, sad fact of American political life for many, many years,” Mamdani said.

Since his stunning mayoral race win last year, Mamdani has emerged as a new power broker in the Democratic Party.