New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said it is “too early” to give US President Donald Trump credit for the Gaza ceasefire deal, adding that praise should follow only if the agreement proves “lasting” and “durable.” He made the comments in a Fox News interview on Wednesday.
Pressed on whether Trump deserves recognition for the first phase of the administration’s Gaza plan, Mamdani replied that while he is “thankful” and “hopeful” the ceasefire will hold, it is premature to assign credit. “If it proves to be something that is lasting, something that is durable, then I think that that’s where you give credit,” he said.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who has led recent polls in the mayoral race, used the interview to address Trump directly, saying he would not seek political favors but would be “ready to speak at any time to lower the cost of living” for New Yorkers. Recent coverage has described him as the frontrunner following his primary win, with a Quinnipiac survey showing him ahead of rivals.
Mamdani’s caution reflects ongoing accusations by Israel and Hamas of breaches since the deal was announced, with the candidate pointing to recent Palestinian casualties as a reason for restraint in celebrating. “That’s what gives me pause about issuing any kind of praise or celebration at a moment when it is still in its infancy,” he said.
The Fox News appearance also revisited controversies surrounding Mamdani’s foreign-policy views. He reiterated that New York should uphold international law, including a previously stated position on International Criminal Court warrants regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even though the United States is not a party to the ICC.
Mamdani declines to call for Hamas to disarm
Conservative outlets highlighted that Mamdani declined to explicitly call for Hamas to disarm when asked, emphasizing instead that all parties must adhere to international law.
The remarks come amid a broader debate in the US over how much credit to ascribe to Trump for shepherding the ceasefire and initial hostage-release steps, following the Sharm el-Sheikh summit and subsequent implementation efforts. Media coverage has noted both bipartisan praise for the breakthrough and continued skepticism about durability on the ground.
"Mamdani is fanatical about the destruction of the Jewish state," Fox News Guy Benson tweeted in response. "He’s agitated for it endlessly, including throughout his campaign. But he suddenly has no opinion on Hamas disarmament because that’s a distraction from his ‘affordability’ sloganeering? Please," Benson wrote.
Republican Congressman Randy Fine (FL) also responded, calling for Mamdani's deportation. "Mamdani needs to be deported," he wrote in an X post. "Either back to his dad’s mansion in Uganda or his pals in Gaza, let him pick. But get him the hell out of here," Fine said.