OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:15 PM – Sunday, January 4, 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed that he spoke with President Donald Trump after learning of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro’s capture to voice his opposition.
In a press conference on Saturday, Mamdani revealed that he “spoke with [the president] directly to register my opposition to this act.”
Mamdani went on to state that he told President Trump he was opposed to the “pursuit of regime change, to the violation of federal and international law.”
“I registered my opposition, I made it clear, and we left it at that,” Mamdani continued.
The public dispute marks the first confrontation between President Trump and Mamdani since his election as New York City mayor, an early sign of potential tensions ahead.
“The president and I have always been honest and direct with each other about places of disagreement,” Mamdani stated on Saturday.
“New Yorkers have elected me to be honest and direct and always to do so with the understanding that my job is to deliver for the people who call this city home.”
Although Maduro is currently being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Brooklyn, Mamdani will likely have little influence, as the correctional facility and judicial process fall under federal jurisdiction, despite being in New York City.
“It is my responsibility that whatever actions the federal government takes, that they have a minimal impact on the day-to-day lives of New Yorkers,” Mamdani stated.
The newly sworn-in NYC mayor also issued a written statement on the matter, further expressing his opposition to the latest move by the Trump administration.
“I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City. Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law,” Mamdani wrote in an X post on Saturday.
“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance,” he added.
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