Scoop: Mamdani, Dem governors plot how to stand up to Trump
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New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has spoken privately with several Democratic governors about how to take on President Trump and tackle other priorities, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The meetings — with three potential 2028 presidential candidates — are a sign that Mamdani, a democratic socialist, is seeking advice on governing from Democrats across the party's ideological spectrum.
- Mamdani talked on the phone with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday and with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on election night, three people familiar with their conversations tell Axios.
- He chatted earlier with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, as was previously reported.
Zoom in: It's no coincidence Mamdani has connected with governors whose states include big cities that have been targeted by Trump for immigration raids and National Guard deployments.
- On their call, Mamdani strategized with Pritzker — who has had a particularly tense relationship with Trump — about how to approach the president, the sources said. (Trump has called Mamdani a "communist" and on the eve of the mayoral election threatened New York City's federal funding if he won.)
- Mamdani and Pritzker talked about Trump's efforts to deploy troops to the Chicago area and how to prepare for him sending the military into New York City, the sources said.
- Moore's team and Mamdani's advisers also have discussed Trump.
- The conversations haven't been limited to the president. Mamdani spoke with Moore about innovation in government, and complimented Moore's efforts to cut red tape and help small businesses, the sources said.
- Shapiro, who is Jewish, told reporters last week that he talked with Mamdani, who is Muslim, about antisemitism and Israel in a call that the mayor-elect initiated. They also discussed permitting reform, sources told Axios.
What they're saying: Spokespeople for Mamdani, Pritzker and Moore declined to comment. A Shapiro spokesperson referred to his public remarks on the conversation.
Zoom out: The governors Mamdani has spoken with span the party's political divide, from the liberal Pritzker to the moderate Shapiro. The governors have taken contrasting approaches to dealing with Trump.
- Pritzker has positioned himself as a bulwark, once telling the president, "You come for my people, you come through me."
- After the 2024 election, Moore expressed a willingness to work with the Trump administration to benefit Maryland residents.
- But when Trump threatened to deploy the National Guard in Baltimore, Moore said, "We do not need occupiers."
- Moore also recently announced a redistricting commission to counter Trump-inspired moves in other states, saying, "We're not just going to sit on our hands because Donald Trump tells us to."
The intrigue: The governors — and many other Democratic officeholders and potential candidates in 2026 and 2028 — are watching Mamdani's tenure in New York City closely, with some figuring that his success or failure could affect the entire party.
- White House hopefuls, especially those on the progressive end of the party, also are calculating the value of building a relationship with Mamdani, a new superstar on the left.
Catch up quick: California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he texted Mamdani and others after Democrats' victories last week.
The bottom line: Mamdani is gearing up for a fight with Trump, and he wants input from fellow Democrats with experience in dealing with the president.
- He's vowed to work closely with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in responding to attacks by Trump.
- In his victory speech last week, Mamdani said, "If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him."
