'Whatever the hell his name is': Trump mocks NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani
_vb_63.jpeg)
New York (PTI): US President Donald Trump has mocked New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, referring to him as “whatever the hell his name is”, while asserting that Americans now face a stark choice between "communism and common sense" following the November 4 elections.
Addressing the America Business Forum Miami in Florida on Wednesday, a day after Mamdani, an Indian-origin Democratic socialist, was elected as New York City’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor, Trump said when he was elected to his second term in office on November 5 last year, the American people had "restored" their sovereignty but "lost a little bit" of it with the mayoral election on Tuesday.
"But we will take care of it. Don't worry about it," he said, warning, “you watch what happens in New York, terrible... I hope it doesn't happen, but you're going to see it.”
"...and Mandami, whatever the hell his name is in New York... thinks it’s wonderful to have men playing in women's sports,” Trump said, drawing boos and jeers from the audience.
Trump, who had earlier warned that Mamdani's victory would bring a "complete and total economic and social disaster" to New York City, accused Democrats of installing a communist in the largest US city.
“If you want to see what Congressional Democrats wish to do to America, just look at the result of yesterday's election in New York, where their party installed a communist as the mayor of the largest city in the nation,” he said.
The US president said after Tuesday’s results, “the decision facing all Americans could not be more clear. We have a choice between communism and common sense. Does that make sense to you? Common sense? It's common sense or communism.”
He said communism hasn't worked in the past.
“Our opponents are offering an economic nightmare. We're delivering an economic miracle,” Trump said, adding that while he used to warn against electing socialists, “we skipped socialist and put in a communist instead”.
The Republican leader said his opponents are hell bent on turning America into a communist Cuba, socialist Venezuela, and "you see what happened to those places".
Cautioning that Democrats have become "so extreme”, Trump quipped that Miami could soon become a "refuge" for those fleeing communism in New York City.
Despite his attacks, the president expressed affection for his home city, saying, "I love New York... we had the telltale signs of trouble because we had a guy named de Blasio”.
Trump was referring to former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a member of the Democratic Party.
He reiterated that under his leadership, the US is not going communist in any way, shape or form.
“We’ll stop it. We're going to stop it. Stop this nonsense,” he said, adding that between a communist or a thug, the people “took the communist. It's pretty amazing. We could have done a little better in terms of candidates”.
“But the communists, Marxists, socialists and globalists had their chance, and they delivered nothing but disaster. And now let's see how a communist does in New York. We're going to see how that works out,” Trump said.
The president, however, added that he “will help them. We want New York to be successful. We'll help them a little bit, maybe”.
Meanwhile, in his fiery victory speech, Mamdani, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, said New York “will remain a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant”.
“After all, if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power,” he said to thunderous applause.
"Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up," he said, adding, "To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
