For a while now, I’ve been trying to figure out who Zohran Mamdani reminds me of.
Mamdani, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, just won the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City, running on a platform that would make Karl Marx beam with pride.
Was it Fidel Castro he brought to mind — the socialist-turned-communist who transformed Cuba’s once-bustling economy into a cautionary tale? Or maybe Hugo Chávez — the man whose brand of socialism sent Venezuela’s economy off a cliff?
Even Marx himself briefly crossed my mind. In a 2021 address to the Young Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani actually said that “seizing the means of production” was a worthy “end goal.”
But now that he’s gunning to be mayor of New York City, Mamdani has conveniently backed off the revolutionary rhetoric — realizing, perhaps, that talk like that can be a tough sell, even in the People’s Republic of New York.
Mamdani wants to pour money that the city doesn’t have into a laundry list of socialist pet projects — free bus rides, subsidized food from government-run grocery stores, rent control covering nearly half the city’s apartments. You know, the usual suspects in the progressive wish book.
And then it hit me: Zohran Mamdani reminds me of President Trump.
Yes, that Trump — the same one who has labeled Mamdani a “total nut job.” But what could a capitalist like Trump and a socialist like Mamdani possibly have in common, you reasonably ask? Stay with me for a second.
For starters, Mamdani is channeling the very same discontent Trump tapped into on his way to the White House. Both appeal to voters who are sick and tired of falling behind. Both understand the gut-punch of watching paychecks lag the rising cost of food, rent and just plain living. Both present themselves as outsiders who “get it” when nobody else does.
And both rely on media ecosystems that reinforce their followers’ beliefs. For Mamdani, it’s friendly social media and MSNBC. For Trump, it’s Truth Social and Fox News.
Neither one seems remotely concerned about spending money they don’t have. Mamdani wants New Yorkers in “rich, white neighborhoods” to foot the bill for his progressive vision. And if you believe Democrats, Trump’s economic policies have shifted the burden onto the middle class, while the wealthiest Americans cruise by with barely a dent in their wallets. If you believe Democrats, that is.
Trump is still basking in the glow of his latest legislative “win” — his so-called “big, beautiful bill” that is projected to jack up the national debt by anywhere from $3 to $5 trillion over the next decade. And very soon, we’ll be spending more to service our debt than we spend on the entire Department of Defense.
To be fair, both parties have been acting like drunken sailors on a spending spree for years. But as the midterms approach, Republicans might want to think twice before playing the “fiscal responsibility” card. Trump and company aren’t exactly running a tight ship, either.
If Mamdani wins in November, reality is going to punch New York City right in the mouth. Because eventually — Margaret Thatcher said it best — socialists run out of other people’s money.
As for Trump? Who knows whether his “big, beautiful bill” will make America richer and stronger or poorer and weaker. But one thing’s for sure: When voters don’t trust the establishment to look out for them, they’ll take a flier on the outsider.
That’s why Mamdani won. It’s why Trump won. And it’s why, like it or not, the capitalist and the socialist have a lot more in common than either one might think — or would ever admit.
Bernard Goldberg is an Emmy and an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University award-winning writer and journalist. He is the author of five books and publishes exclusive weekly columns, audio commentaries and Q&As on his Substack page. Follow him @BernardGoldberg.
