Trump says Miami will be "refuge" for New Yorkers after Mamdani win
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Miami Mayor Suarez gave President Trump the keys to the presidential library. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
For months, real estate executives and political pundits have suggested some wealthy New Yorkers would consider relocating to South Florida if Zohran Mamdani were elected the city's mayor.
Why it matters: Less than 24 hours after Mamdani's win, President Trump renewed those predictions, speaking at Miami's Kaseya Center.
- "For generations, Miami has been a haven for those fleeing communist tyranny," Trump told the crowd at the America Business Forum, adding, "look at South Africa [and] South America, at what's going on there."
- "Miami will be the refuge for those fleeing the communist New York City," he said. (Mamdani is a democratic socialist.)
Between the lines: Both Trump and hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, who also spoke critically of Mamdani on Wednesday, have stakes in Miami's business and real estate markets.
- Griffin moved his investment firm, Citadel, to Miami in 2022 and has invested millions in Miami-Dade County and the state. He's also lobbied for legislation behind the scenes.
- Earlier this year, the Doral City Council approved Trump Doral's plan to develop a massive residential and commercial complex, the Miami Herald reported.
- Trump's Doral resort will also host the 2026 G20 summit.
What they're saying: "For the people of New York, I pray that the policies Mamdani uses to govern are different from the talking points he used to win the race," Griffin said at the event, which brought together U.S. business leaders, ambassadors and many from the international community.
- Florida is "a great place to call home," he said. "I hope when Mamdani thinks about leadership, I hope he thinks about the right role models," suggesting that many such leaders live in Miami and Florida, generally.
Context: The two were among a slate of high-profile speakers at the Forum on Wednesday, including 2025 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado.
- Corina Machado, who appeared at the conference via video, praised Trump's pressure campaign against Venezuela and called it "absolutely correct."
The intrigue: During Trump's one-hour speech, in which he touted his tenure, criticized former President Biden and called on Congress to reopen the government, City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez gifted the president with the key to his future presidential library.
- "You like real estate," Suarez said. "This is the Key that opens the Presidential Library Real Estate."
- Miami-Dade College's transfer of land for the library, however, was temporarily blocked by a judge last month.