Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was asked if he feels he could go to-to-toe with President Donald Trump over potential deployments of National Guard troops, in an interview with MSNBC‘s Chris Hayes on Wednesday night.

Newsweek reached out to Mamdani’s campaign via email for additional comment.

Why It Matters

The surge by Mamdani, a state assemblyman, to become the potential face of the Democratic Party in The Big Apple has intensified debate over what the future direction of the party as a whole could look like, as his platform sharply differs from those more centrist and aligned with the establishment.

Mamdani has taken a more aggressive approach than many traditional Democrats—who have historically championed incremental reform and avoided expansive tax policies targeting high earners.

The mayoral front-runner has framed his campaign around affordability, housing justice and public investment in services like free child care, city-owned grocery stores and public transportation.

What To Know

During the interview on the eponymous All In with Chris Hayes, Mamdani was asked if he could go toe-to-toe with Trump over National Guard deployments if elected to steer The City That Never Sleeps.

“Let’s take the example of California, when Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to California, one of the key ways in which they responded was working together with the mayor of LA, the governor of California, the attorney general, all coming together to file a lawsuit that a judge just yesterday found that that deployment was illegal,” Mamdani told Hayes.

“Can you imagine Andrew Cuomo working with the attorney general of this state, whose endorsement I am proud to have—Tish James, the governor, Kathy Hochul, to work together to fight Donald Trump, when he’s spoken to Donald Trump more than he’s spoken to Kathy Hochul over the course of this race?” Mamdani added.

The Democrat then took a swipe at Cuomo by questioning his statements on Trump: “New Yorkers want a mayor who is accountable to them, not to someone in the White House who is looking to rip up the very fabric of the city.”

The exchange underscores a larger national debate over the scope of federal authority to deploy military forces in U.S. cities. Trump has ordered National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, and recently threatened to do the same in Chicago and Baltimore.

National politics have bled into the New York mayoral race in other avenues, as a report by The New York Times says Trump administration officials explored whether they could influence the contest by encouraging sitting Mayor Eric Adams to drop out and accept a federal position.

Cuomo briefly spoke to the Times, denying haven spoken to Trump and added that it makes more sense for the president to back Mamdani. “It would be a political gift to the Republican Party, which would then use him to characterize the Democrats across the country going into the midterms,” the former governor said.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, has not received critical endorsements from New York Democratic leaders like U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Hochul and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

During the interview, he was asked if he felt confident in the potential working relationships, should he get elected.

“Absolutely. And so many of the conversations we’ve had have been about the importance of partnership, because New Yorkers have grown tired at the ways in which Albany and City Hall were at war when Andrew Cuomo was leading the state,” Mamdani said.

“They want leaders who understand that they have the same constituents in New York City, and they have to serve those constituents,” he added. “And one thing I’ve appreciated through all of these conversations is the question of: How do we deliver affordability to the residents of the most expensive city in the United States of America?”

What People Are Saying

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, on X Wednesday: “It should tell you everything you need to know that Donald Trump supports Andrew Cuomo. Zohran Mamdani is taking on a corrupt system that fails working people—it’s why New Yorkers voted for him to be the Democratic nominee and why he’ll be the next NYC mayor.”

New York City GOP mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, in a previous statement to Newsweek: “The White House has not contacted me, and I’m not interested in a job with the White House. My focus is right here in New York. I’m the only candidate on a major party line who can defeat Mamdani, and I’m committed to carrying this fight through to Election Day. The people of New York City deserve a mayor who truly cares.”

Adams’ campaign spokesperson, Todd Shapiro, told the Associated Press: “Mayor Adams has not met with Donald Trump—don’t believe the noise. He is not dropping out of the race.”

What Happens Next

Legal challenges and appeals appear likely to shape how— and whether—the federal government can deploy troops for policing or immigration enforcement in U.S. cities.

The New York City mayoral election is set for November 4.