New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani challenges JD Vance over Iran war, says Trump administration started the conflict and can end it
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has criticized U.S. Vice President JD Vance for blaming the war against Iran for Republicans’ defeat in the midterm elections without taking responsibility for the Trump administration’s decision to launch the conflict.
Mamdani questioned Vance’s public assessment of the November 3 election results, arguing that the vice president was speaking about the war as though he had played no part in the administration responsible for it.
“I find it quite ironic to read a post from the vice president as if he’s describing the actions of a different administration,” Mamdani said.
“He’s the vice president of the United States of America. He is not just some commentator online.”
Mamdani called on the administration to act on its own acknowledgment that the conflict had damaged Republicans politically, arguing that Washington had both the responsibility and the authority to bring the fighting to an end.
“This is a war that they started. It’s a war that they can end,” he said.
“If they think it was a part of their political demise, then why don’t they actually start to take some action to reflect that?”
His remarks followed Vance’s public criticism of the Iran war after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s elections. The vice president attributed the defeat to the conflict and its economic consequences, distancing himself from President Donald Trump’s continued defense of the military campaign.
Mamdani also criticized American support for actions he said violated international law, citing both Palestine and Iran. He called for Washington to confront its role in financing those policies.
On domestic policy, the Democratic mayor reiterated his opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, saying the agency should be abolished and its immigration enforcement operations in New York City should end.
He said he had communicated that position directly to Trump as well as publicly.
Mamdani also addressed the role of billionaire Elon Musk in American elections, arguing that voters had demonstrated their independence from wealthy political donors despite what he described as $440 million in election spending by Musk.
Asked whether a progressive candidate could compete in the 2028 presidential election, Mamdani answered, “Absolutely.”
The mayor, who took office in January 2026, also spoke about representing New York’s Jewish population, saying disagreements over Israel and Palestine would not affect his responsibility to serve residents with differing political views.
He emphasized that his administration would continue working for all New Yorkers, including those who disagreed with his position on the Middle East.