Just hours before New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani traveled to Washington for his first official meeting with President Donald Trump, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bipartisan measure denouncing what it described as the “evils of socialism.”
The resolution, which had been introduced weeks earlier, was brought forward for a vote by Republicans on Friday. Supporters argued that the statement was straightforward: Congress should formally reject socialist ideology and oppose policies based on it in the United States.
The measure passed comfortably with a vote of 285 to 98, earning backing not only from Republicans but also from dozens of Democrats. Among the Democrats who voted in favor were several representatives from New York and New Jersey, including party leaders and local lawmakers who had previously supported Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.
Some New York Democrats—such as Ritchie Torres, Greg Meeks, and Grace Meng—also supported the resolution. Long Island representatives Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen voted for it as well, with Suozzi spending much of his recent campaign distancing himself from Mamdani’s political brand.
Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of Staten Island, whose mother fled Cuba after the rise of Castro, highlighted her family’s history while criticizing the socialist views associated with New York’s incoming mayor.
Not all Democrats agreed, however. California Rep. Maxine Waters voted against the measure, arguing that Congress should instead be debating issues like rising living costs, health-care affordability, and what she described as harmful economic policies coming from Trump and congressional Republicans.
When asked about the vote after his meeting with Trump, Mamdani brushed the question aside. He said he had been focused on “the work ahead” rather than symbolic resolutions. Mamdani openly identifies as a democratic socialist but emphasized that despite ideological differences, the priority is addressing affordability and improving life in New York City.
Trump, speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One, said he was temporarily halting plans to deploy the National Guard to New York City, saying other cities currently needed assistance more urgently. He added that the topic came up during his meeting with Mamdani and that he would send the Guard to New York if necessary.
Their meeting struck a notably friendlier tone than expected, considering Trump had previously mocked Mamdani as “a little communist,” and Mamdani had once called Trump a “fascist.” Despite their past criticisms, the two appeared cordial and even complimentary during their White House session, with Trump later describing the visit as “an honor.”
