Old comments from Zohran Mamdani, the newly crowned Democratic mayoral primary winner in New York City, are stirring up a storm over his past disdain for the NYPD.
Fox News reported that Mamdani, a 33-year-old assemblyman from Queens, won the primary last month against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but now faces heat for 2020 statements criticizing police responses to domestic violence and advocating for defunding the NYPD, even as he softens his tone for the November 2025 general election.
Back in 2020, amid the nationwide unrest following George Floyd’s death, Mamdani didn’t mince words about the NYPD.
He called the department “wicked and corrupt” on social media and pushed hard for its dismantlement. That’s not exactly the kind of talk you’d expect from someone now vying to lead America’s biggest city.
On a podcast called "Immigrantly" in 2020, Mamdani argued that police shouldn’t be the go-to for issues like domestic violence or even jaywalking.
“If somebody is jaywalking, if somebody is surviving, going through domestic violence – there are so many different situations that would be far better handled by people trained to deal with those specific situations,” he said.
Well, with the NYPD handling over 100,000 domestic violence calls in 2024 alone, one wonders who exactly he thinks should step in when a crisis hits.
That same year, Mamdani doubled down on social media, declaring, “There is no negotiating with an institution this wicked & corrupt.”
His call to defund and dismantle the NYPD was loud and clear, leaving little room for nuance. For a city that relies on its police to keep chaos at bay, this kind of rhetoric feels like playing with fire.
Still in 2020, he tied social causes to his anti-police stance, tweeting, “Queer liberation means defund the police.” It’s a catchy slogan, sure, but it sidesteps the gritty reality of urban safety. How does slashing law enforcement budgets protect vulnerable communities, exactly?
Fast forward to his primary campaign, and Mamdani started singing a different tune. His platform proposed replacing police with “crisis responders” for mental health situations, though specifics on what qualifies as such remain murky. It’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at the vagueness when public safety is on the line.
Now, as he gears up for the general election, Mamdani’s latest plan includes a shiny new Department of Community Safety to tackle nonviolent incidents.
He wants to fund it by reallocating $600 million from existing programs and hiking taxes on the city’s wealthy. Sounds noble, but slashing NYPD overtime and their $80 million communications budget might leave the force stretched thinner than a dollar-store napkin.
At the second Democratic mayoral debate on June 13, 2025, Mamdani tried to reassure skeptics, stating, “I will not defund the police.” He emphasized working with law enforcement on violent crime while redirecting other issues to social workers. It’s a pivot, no doubt, but after years of fiery anti-police rhetoric, can New Yorkers trust the about-face?
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul congratulated Mamdani on his primary win, praising his focus on affordability, though she’s stopped short of a full endorsement for November 2025. “Everybody's concerned what will happen to the policing of the city,” she noted at a recent news conference. That’s putting it mildly—many are downright nervous about what his policies might mean for the streets.
Critics aren’t holding back either, with Joe Gamaldi of the Fraternal Order of Police blasting the defund movement entirely. “Anyone who still supports defunding the police is completely insane,” he told Fox News Digital, pointing to spikes in crime and disorder in urban areas. It’s a stark warning for a city already grappling with unsolved crimes, as Mamdani himself admitted 65% of cases from early 2025 remain open.
Then there’s the lingering question of domestic violence response under a potential Mamdani administration. While he’s dodged specifics on whether police would be barred from such calls, his 2020 comments suggest a preference for alternative responders. With so many families relying on swift NYPD action, that ambiguity is a gamble most New Yorkers might not be willing to take.
Mamdani's press conference with union leaders on July 2, 2025, couldn’t fully erase doubts about his earlier stances. For every step toward moderation, there’s a shadow of those 2020 tweets and podcast quips reminding voters of his radical roots. It’s a tightrope walk, and in a city as tough as New York, one misstep could be costly.
So, as the November 2025 election approaches, the question remains: Can Mamdani convince a skeptical public that he’s the man to keep them safe? His journey from police abolition advocate to reluctant collaborator is a fascinating flip, but it’s up to voters to decide if it’s genuine—or just politics as usual. One thing’s for sure, this race will keep us all on the edge of our seats.