Washington, June 30, 2026
US President Donald Trump described socialism as the greatest threat facing the United States, using sharp language to criticise New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and warning that the country was at risk of embracing what he called communism.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked about Mamdani’s recent remarks that he was willing to be the “poster child” for socialist candidates.
Trump responded by arguing that the political label understated what he believed was a broader ideological shift.
“I think it’s a big threat to our nation, actually, because it’s not socialism, it’s really communism,” Trump said.
“They use the word social Democrat because it sounds so nice, but it’s really communism you’re talking about.”
The President went on to describe the issue as the most serious challenge facing the country.
“I think it’s the biggest threat to our nation there is, maybe since our founding,” Trump said.
“That includes World War I, World War II, September 11th. It includes the Pearl Harbor attack.”
Trump acknowledged that some people might dismiss the comparison but insisted the danger was real.
“People will smile when I say that, but the smart people are going to say, you know, he’s probably right.”
“It’s basically introducing communism into the United States of America. There’s never been anything so dangerous.”
The remarks came at the end of a wide-ranging Oval Office question-and-answer session that focused largely on Iran, election legislation, Supreme Court rulings and immigration before turning to domestic politics.
Accusations of socialism have long featured in US political campaigns, particularly in debates over healthcare, taxation and government spending. While progressive Democrats often describe their agenda as rooted in social democracy, Republicans have frequently argued that such policies represent an expansion of government control over the economy.(Agency)
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