Zohran Mamdani is a communist

Question

Throughout Zohran Mamdani's campaign for mayor of New York City, President Trump has vehemently named him a communist. In a Truth Social post, he wrote: "It can only get worse with a communist (Mamdani) at the helm." However, despite Trump's claims of Mamdani's political ideology, Mamdani went on to NBC to clarify "I am not" (NPR. 2025). He goes on stating himself as a democratic socialist. 

Even before Trump's post(s), there have been many comparisons of democratic socialism to communism due to the similar values that connect them, and more greatly, the former USSR or Union of Socialist Republics whose members called themselves socialists. However, in a report by Time magazine, Professor Michael Kazin of Georgetown University explains: "All communists call themselves socialists because they want it on the way to pure communism." (Time. 2025) Additionally, democratic socialists of America deny the same radical transformations that communist parties often propagate, believing in the ability to create change within the existing system (NPR. 2025). 

Answer 1

Zohran Mamdani is not a communist. He is a democratic socialist (NPR). Democratic socialism is the belief that unfettered capitalism inevitably leads to misery and poverty for a portion of the population, and that for a society to be truly democratic, governance must be separated from economic interest. This viewpoint is similar to communism. However, where democratic socialism differs is in how equality is achieved. Communists believe in an inevitable class war -- think about Animal Farm -- where property, the government, and means of production are seized by force to serve the public. Democratic socialists believe that equality of life and opportunity can be achieved democratically (CNN). Denouncing any attempt at socialist thinking as communism (particularly by the Conservative party) has been a long-held tradition in the establishment, starting in the Cold War era (The Elysian). 
The source of this claim is one of many comments made by President Trump, particularly on TruthSocial, speaking negatively about Mamdani because of his goals and affiliations, which differ from the current administration's (Al Jazeera). 

Sources: 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/politics/mamdani-democratic-socialism-explained

https://www.npr.org/2025/11/05/nx-s1-5599928/democratic-socialism-explained-zohran-mamdani-bernie-sanders

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/6/trump-says-mamdani-must-respect-washington-wants-new-york-to-succeed

https://www.elysian.press/p/a-very-brief-history-of-capitalism 

Though I searched for as unbiased information as possible, it is possible that several of these sources have a slightly left-leaning bias, particularly CNN. 

Comments

Great work putting together a concise and clear fact-check with plenty of credible sources.