
Mamdani Weighs in On Changing the Constitution So He Can Run for President
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani brushed aside speculation about a future White House campaign on Sunday, insisting he has no interest in changing the Constitution to make himself eligible for the presidency, even as he celebrated the growing influence of his political movement within the Democratic Party.
“No,” Mamdani told ABC News’ “This Week” when asked whether the Constitution should be amended so he could one day run for president. “I think the Constitution looks good the way it is.”
Under Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, only natural-born U.S. citizens who are at least 35 years old are eligible to serve as president.
Mamdani, who is 34, was born in Uganda and immigrated to the United States when he was about seven years old. He became a naturalized American citizen in 2018.
“I’m very excited to focus on New York City, but thank you for reminding me of my upcoming mortality,” Mamdani added after ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl noted that his 35th birthday is approaching.
Throughout the 2025 New York City mayoral race, Mamdani frequently criticized former Governor Andrew Cuomo, suggesting Cuomo’s political ambitions extended well beyond City Hall.
Although he rejected talk of a presidential run, Mamdani projected confidence about his growing influence within Democratic politics nationwide.
“Let them,” Mamdani snapped back when asked about Republican efforts to portray him as the face of today’s Democratic Party.
“We don’t have to ask ourselves what life looks like if a socialist wins. I won last November, and over the course of these last 6 months, what we’ve delivered.”
His comments came just days after three candidates he endorsed—Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darializa Avila Chevalier—won competitive Democratic primary contests, marking another significant victory for the party’s progressive wing.
The trio campaigned on an aggressively left-wing platform. Avila Chevalier, in particular, has drawn attention for past remarks and activism that included boasting about wiping her dirty hands on the American flag, advocating for the abolition of prisons and national borders, and accusing President Joe Biden of rape.
“I think we are seeing a hunger that is not just felt by New Yorkers, but frankly by Americans from coast to coast, for a new kind of politics, one that puts working people at the heart of it,” Mamdani said in explaining the success of the candidates he backed.
When questioned specifically about Avila Chevalier’s more controversial positions, Mamdani argued that her campaign centered on improving the lives of working-class Americans.
“The focus of her candidacy was about the struggle that working people are facing,” he insisted, when pressed about her call to abandon prisons and borders.
Asked directly whether he supports abolishing prisons, Mamdani responded, “There are prisons.”
“Safety is not something that’s up for debate.”