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Zohran Mamdani: “When we first came into office, we were looking at $12…”

Featuring: Zohran Mamdani, Democratic | Mayor of New York City

Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview

Published April 19, 2026 | Video Starts at 01:33

And as you said, we inherited the largest fiscal crisis that the city has seen since the Great Recession. FR this dwarfs even that. When we first came into office, we were looking at $12 billion [budget shortfall]. And thanks to the work that we did, the savings, the allocations of our reserves, the commitment from the governor, we were able to bring that down to $5.4 billion. (01:33–01:37)

CLAIM

Asserts an initial $12 billion budget shortfall upon taking office.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Zohran Mamdani

“We currently have the slowest buses in the United States of America.”
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“The federal administration has spent upwards of $28 billion killing thousands of people in the Middle East.”
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“We've delivered the lowest recorded murders in New York City history, the joint lowest recorded shootings in New York City history.”
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“On day eight, we announced a $1.2 billion agreement with Governor Kathy Hochul to put our city on the pathway to universal childcare.”
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“We are not only providing free childcare for every three year old in the city, we're now doing it for two year olds as well.”
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“By the end of our first term, we will see every single two year old receiving free child care across the five boroughs of New York City.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 00:53-01:00
“We were able to bring that down to $5.4 billion [budget shortfall].”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 01:36-01:46
“We will be pursuing a pied a terre tax, which will be a tax on the properties of the wealthiest.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 01:55-02:03
“It will raise half a billion dollars for New York City and it will do so on an annual basis.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 02:06-02:11
“We filled all six [vacancies on the rent guidelines board].”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 02:46-02:48
“We are speeding up buses for more than a million New Yorkers putting back up to six minutes back into their lives each trip.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 02:57-03:05
“By the end of this first year, what we're going to see is us delivering these 2000 free childcare for 2 year olds across New York City.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 03:24-03:32
“Deliver the first steps to universal childcare, filling in 102,000 potholes, changing 6,700 catch basins, repaving more than 1,000 miles of…”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 03:24-03:32
“It's going to be 12,000 by the end of next year, every single two year old.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 03:31-03:35
“20% increases in speed across 45 priority corridors.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 03:42-03:48
“We have one bus route free in New York City right now.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 03:56-04:00
“These are not free groceries. These are cheaper groceries.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 04:48-04:52
“We're talking about five grocery stores in a city that has more than a thousand.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 05:45-05:49
“They will see full universal childcare for two year olds by the end of the first term.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 06:42-06:46
“We're talking about $20,000 a year that a family won't have to shell out for childcare any longer.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 07:18-07:25
“That pied a terre tax, that is an agreement that we have to tax the wealthy.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 07:44-07:49
“A pied a terre tax has been something that has long been fought for in this city, but hasn't been possible to get over the finish line.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 08:54-09:01
“In New York City, as you said earlier, we have a legal obligation to balance the budget.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 09:12-09:18
“5.4 billion, as you said. Now, I can't put forward an accounting statement and just say 5.4 billion.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 09:31-09:38
“The pied a terre tax is an incredible step.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 12:43-12:46
“ICE detained a Columbia University student as part of a larger trend of five individuals being detained in or around Columbia University.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 15:55-16:01
“New York City is the most expensive city in the United States of America.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 17:32-17:37
“Major Crimes are down by more than 9% [in New York City].”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 20:50-20:53
“I want to make very clear. I think that October 7th was a horrific war crime. I think that Hamas, Hamas is a terrorist organization.”
Zohran Mamdani on his relationship with Trump and his vow to tax the rich: Full interview | Uploaded April 19, 2026 | 24:54-25:02
“I think it's disgusting and I think it's a reflection of a kind of bigotry that frankly, frankly isn't just confined to a Republican Party…”
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“I'm very thankful to have hard working men and women of the NYPD who keep me safe and keep New Yorkers safe each and every day.”
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“Democracy should extend from the ballot box to the rest of our lives.”
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“The worth of an ideology can only be judged in its delivery.”
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“It is focused on the needs of working people.”
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