"I'm a much better-looking person": Trump reacts after interviewer calls Zohran Mamdani a "left-wing version" of POTUS

U.S. President Donald Trump recently made remarks about Zohran Mamdani during an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes, which aired on November 2, 2025. Speaking with anchor Norah O’Donnell, the 79-year-old Republican weighed in on New York City’s upcoming mayoral election.

Trump, who was born and raised in Queens, the same borough as Mamdani, was asked about recent media narratives that described the 34-year-old progressive politician as a “left-wing version” of himself.

“Some people have compared him to a left-wing version of you — charismatic, breaking the old rules. What do you think about that?” O’Donnell asked.

Trump responded with his characteristic humor and bravado, turning the comparison into a playful jab.

“Well, I think I’m a much better-looking person than him, right?” he quipped.

The exchange then took a sharper turn when O’Donnell referred to Mamdani, a state assemblyman from Queens, as a “democratic socialist.” POTUS interrupted her mid-sentence, disputing the label and escalating his rhetoric.

“Communist, not socialist… He’s far worse than a socialist,” Trump interjected.

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Donald Trump threatens to withhold federal funding if Zohran Mamdani wins the election during the CBS’ 60 Minutes interview

Zohran Mamdani (Image via Getty Images)

President Donald Trump threatened to cut off federal funding to New York City if Zohran Mamdani won the upcoming mayoral election.

During the interview with CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell on 60 Minutes, Trump was asked about the potential outcome of the race and what would happen “if Mamdani becomes mayor.” The president promptly replied:

“It’s going to be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York. Because if you have a communist running New York, all you’re doing is wasting the money you’re sending there,” Trump said.

POTUS's remarks echoed his administration’s earlier efforts to restrict or reduce federal grants for projects in Democratic-led regions. His comments suggested that New York’s federal aid, which totaled $7.4 billion (£5.7 billion) this fiscal year, could be at risk if Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, were elected.

Additionally, Zohran Mamdani, who identified as a democratic socialist, has repeatedly dismissed attempts to label him a communist. He won the Democratic primary earlier this year, with Andrew Cuomo finishing second.

According to the BBC, opinion polls released ahead of Tuesday’s (November 4) vote showed Zohran Mamdani leading his main rival, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

During the aforementioned interview, POTUS also criticised Zohran Mamdani's leadership potential, drawing an unflattering comparison to former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. POTUS said Mamdani would perform even worse than de Blasio, whom he has frequently disparaged in the past.

“I got to see de Blasio, how bad a mayor he was, and this man will do a worse job than de Blasio by far,” the president said

Later in the interview, POTUS appeared to offer tacit support for Zohran Mamdani's opponent, Andrew Cuomo, despite their differing political affiliations. He stated that while he was not particularly fond of Cuomo, he would still prefer him over Mamdani, whom he repeatedly referred to as a communist.

“I’m not a fan of Cuomo one way or the other, but if it’s gonna be between a bad Democrat and a Communist, I’m gonna pick the bad Democrat all the time, to be honest with you,” POTUS said.

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Despite threatening to cut off federal funding, Trump did not elaborate on how he planned to implement such a freeze should Mamdani take office.

On the other hand, as New York City heads to the polls on Tuesday (November 4, 2025), the mayoral race enters its final stretch, with Indian-origin candidate Zohran Kwame Mamdani emerging as the frontrunner for the city’s top political post.

Edited by Shayari Roy