UPDATE - Trump says Mamdani's NYC mayoral win 'not expected'

ADDS MORE REMARKS BY US PRESIDENT, CHANGES DECK

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Democrat Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York City's mayoral election was unexpected and not beneficial for his party.

"Last night, it was not expected," Trump told Republican senators during a breakfast meeting.

"I don't think it was good for Republicans ... I'm not sure it was good for anybody," Trump said, adding: "But we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot."

Trump has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, branding him a communist and warning that federal funding for New York could be cut if he wins.

Mamdani, 34, defeated independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa on Tuesday, becoming the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of the nation's largest city.

The self-described democratic socialist ran on a platform focused on affordability and social services, promising free buses, universal childcare, city-run grocery stores, rent-stabilized housing, and raising the minimum wage.

Later, speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, Florida, Trump claimed that by winning the election a year ago, he had helped the country regain its sovereignty and described Mamdani's election as a setback. “We lost a little bit of sovereignty last night in New York, but we'll take care of it,” he said.

Trump, who mentioned grocery, energy, and price increases under his administration, as well as increased investment in the country, criticized the previous administration for causing the "worst inflation in modern history" in the country. He then claimed that New York, where Mamdani was elected, would experience those days again.

“It's bad to see how bad people are; you're going to see the same thing in New York,” he said. “I hope it doesn't happen, but you're going to see it.”

Trump said Americans have to decide between "communism and common sense" following Tuesday's election result. He said the US is not going to be communist "in any way, shape, or form" as long as he is in the office. "We'll stop it. We're going to stop it. Stop this nonsense."