Left-wing commentator Van Jones was among those raising alarm at Democratic socialist mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s fiery victory speech, noting what he called an instant “character switch” as soon as the election was called.
A roaring Mamdani wasted no time in claiming a mandate for his progressive agenda and taunting President Trump as he rallied supporters Tuesday night, the New York Post.
Jones told CNN that the 34-year-old’s tone was a stark departure from the calm and collected image he showed on the campaign trail.
“I think he missed an opportunity. I think the Mamdani that we saw in the campaign trail, who was a lot more calm, who was a lot warmer, who was a lot more embracing, was not present in that speech,” Jones said on a post-election panel.