New York's Mayor Talks Soccer, Taxes, and What It Means to Be American

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sat down for an interview last week to talk about the World Cup, taxing wealthy people, and what he believes in as a leader. Mamdani is not a typical American mayor — he was born in Uganda, grew up in New York City, and is now one of the most talked-about politicians in the world. His ideas about democratic socialism, a system where the government plays a big role in helping working people, have earned him fans and critics far beyond the United States. He is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and has been a strong supporter of Palestinian rights.

Mamdani spoke with excitement about the World Cup, which was hosted in the United States this summer. He said New York City is a perfect place to watch global soccer because so many of its residents were born in other countries. More than 3 million of its 8.5 million people were born outside the U.S., Mamdani among them. He pointed out that fans could watch Egypt's games in the Astoria neighborhood and Colombia's games in Jackson Heights, showing how different parts of the city reflect different parts of the world.

He gave a special mention to the fans from Norway, saying their energy surprised and impressed him. Norway had not been in a World Cup since 1998, so many people did not know what their fan culture would look like. Mamdani, who is an Arsenal soccer fan, joked that he had spent years 'hating and fearing' Norwegian star Erling Haaland. But after watching Haaland play in the World Cup, he said, 'I fell in love with Erling.'

The interviewer asked about President Trump calling the head of FIFA — soccer's global governing body — to try to get a suspension overturned for a U.S. player. Mamdani said that before the U.S.-Belgium match, almost all the news coverage was about the reversed red card rather than the game itself. He said the U.S. loss left fans heartbroken. He praised American player Flo Balogun for walking over to the Belgian coach after the final whistle, saying it was a reminder that players should be seen as people, not pawns in a bigger political fight.

Mamdani explained why he thinks people around the world feel let down by center-left political parties. He said working people everywhere are struggling to afford rent, child care, groceries, and public transportation. He believes democratic socialist ideas — like investing in public services and making the wealthy pay more taxes — can solve those problems in a real way. He pointed to his own work as mayor, including fixing more than 170,000 potholes, creating a path to free child care for all New Yorkers, and speeding up some of the slowest city buses in the country.

The interviewer asked Mamdani about Andy Burnham, who became the new prime minister of Great Britain. Mamdani said he was glad to see a mayor move up to lead a whole country. He also made a friendly joke, saying he was 'a little disappointed' to learn that Burnham is an Everton fan — a team that has struggled for many years. When asked if Burnham shares his left-wing politics, Mamdani kept his answer careful, saying only that he was excited to see what Burnham's leadership would mean for people across the United Kingdom.

Mamdani talked about a new tax he created on expensive second homes owned by people who do not actually live in New York. The tax applies to homes worth more than five million dollars. Some critics warned that wealthy people would leave the city to avoid paying — an idea called 'capital flight.' Mamdani said that fear has been raised many times before and rarely comes true, and that most New Yorkers support asking the very wealthy to pay more so everyone has a better chance at affording city life.

On the topic of Israel and Palestinians, Mamdani said he believes in human rights for all people, including Palestinians in Gaza. He pointed out that even during the joyful World Cup celebrations, the conflict in Gaza continued. He said he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should face trial at an international court called The Hague. He also said he was talking with city lawyers about whether he had the authority to arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader visits New York in September. Israel has denied that it is committing genocide in Gaza.

Mamdani ended by talking about what it means to be American. He was born in Uganda and moved to New York City at just seven years old, and today he leads that very city. He said the meaning of America has always been debated, but the effort to live up to its ideals never stops. He called his own journey — from immigrant child to mayor of one of the world's most famous cities — 'a very American story.'