President Donald Trump on Friday denounced the primary election victories of three progressive candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling them 'the greatest threat to our country since its founding.' Speaking at the Faith & Freedom Coalition's 2026 Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., Trump smeared the winners as communists who 'will kill your people.'
Trump's Tirade Against Progressive Victories
Democratic socialists Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, along with progressive liberal Brad Lander, won their primaries on Tuesday, drawing Trump's ire. 'I'm sorry to say, but assassinations of those who oppose [communists] is a very important element of their ideology,' Trump claimed. 'Assassination is a big deal for them. They are animals ... In many cases, they are not smart, but in some cases, they are.'
Trump warned that Americans will 'start living in squalor' if this progressive wave continues, noting, 'It's happening right now in New York.' He further asserted, 'These are not social democrats. These are hardcore godless communists. They're godless communists. All communists are godless. They don't believe in God. This is the most serious threat to our country since its existence, in my opinion.'
Conflating Progressives with Extremists
Trump went on to claim that 'these ruthless communists' are determined to destroy 'all religions.' He then boasted about recent U.S. airstrikes that killed high-ranking ISIS leaders in Nigeria, drawing a parallel between toppling extremist leadership and his war on Iran. 'We know where they are. We hunt them down or we take them down. Think of it, they go into a village and they just kill everybody. It's crazy,' he said. 'They will close your churches in this country if they go communist, and they're trying to. They will kill your people.'
Trump's speech exemplified his self-described 'weave,' a rambling stream-of-consciousness style, as he conflated the dangers of ISIS leaders, communists, and the progressive winners in the same breath. 'It's the greatest threat,' said Trump. 'People don't look at that. 'Oh, three people were elected.' No, no, it's many more than three people, and the other people are being swayed because they don't have the sense to see what's happening. They don't have the sense.'
Reactions to the Progressive Wins
Lander, Valdez, and Chevalier have all criticized Israel and its actions in Palestine, prompting accusations of antisemitism. Lander is Jewish, Chevalier is Muslim, and Valdez has largely kept her religious beliefs private. Their primary victories have not only upset Republicans but also drawn criticism from Democrats. On Friday, 'Real Time' host Bill Maher told Vice President JD Vance that he might stop voting Democrat in response to the progressive wing's influence.
