While President Donald Trump celebrated the 250th anniversary of the United States at Mount Rushmore warning about the dangers of communism, Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered an alternative speech sitting at the historic desk of George Washington where he harshly criticized capitalism and highlighted the deep "contradictions" of the country.
In his 15-minute address, flanked exclusively by newly naturalized immigrants, Mamdani denounced the "powerful" who treat American ideals as a privilege reserved for a "chosen few," while reclaiming the contributions of historically marginalized sectors, such as slaves, soldiers of the Continental Army, and immigrants of all kinds.
"We see a city of contradictions within a nation of contradictions", he intoned. "We see the richest nation in the history of the world, one where children go to bed hungry while the planet's first billionaire is hungry for more. We see monopolies dominating every industry and oligarchs buying elections."
Mamdani's aim was to antagonize the message delivered by Trump on Friday night, at a time when the communist politician showcases his growing power within the Democratic Party following a series of victories by his far-left candidates in the primaries for the House of Representatives in New York and other cities.
Mamdani gave a speech where he denounced capitalism and Trump.
Mamdani and his barbs at Trump
Instead of talking about the city he governs, the Ugandan used the podium to lash out at Trump and his immigration law enforcement. "We see masked agents terrorizing our streets, eating food cooked by our undocumented neighbors before forcibly taking them away in unmarked vans," the head of government denounced.
Mamdani also took advantage of his podium to harshly criticize the health insurance industry, small and medium property owners, and American foreign policy. "I see the United States in a health insurance industry that exploits the sick (...) I see the United States in corporate owners for whom negligence is a business model," he said.
"My family did not arrive by boat, although we saw the Statue of Liberty from the airplane window. Even from the air, we could glimpse the promise of the United States: the promise of the beautiful and patriotic work of making this country, year after year, a little more true to its founding ideals," expressed the socialist mayor recalling his story of when he emigrated from Uganda.
Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate for governor of New York, reacted to this speech labeling the Democrat as "a dangerous subversive who must be stopped" and described his words as "a dark and vindictive assessment of the past, present, and future of the United States."
The Trump supporter Bruce Blakeman perfectly described Mamdani's words.
