On November 21, 2025, just hours before New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met with President Donald Trump at the White House, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a symbolic but pointed bipartisan resolution condemning “the horrors of socialism.” Introduced by Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), the resolution stated that Congress “denounces socialism in all its forms” and opposes its adoption in the U.S. The vote passed by a wide margin, 285–98, with 86 Democrats joining Republicans.
The timing of the vote was clearly symbolic, coinciding with Mamdani’s trip to Washington for his first meeting with Trump. It highlighted the deep ideological tension at play: while a rising democratic socialist was taking the reins in America’s largest city, lawmakers in Congress were reasserting their opposition to socialist ideology. Republicans framed the condemnation as a moral imperative, emphasizing historical examples of socialist regimes, while some Democrats saw the move as political theater.
Within the Democratic Party, the vote exposed division. Notably, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — who had only recently endorsed Mamdani — voted in favor of the resolution. Other New York-area Democrats also supported it: Reps. Ritchie Torres, Greg Meeks, Grace Meng, Laura Gillen, and Tom Suozzi all joined. On the opposing side, progressive voices like Rep. Maxine Waters criticized the resolution as distraction from urgent economic issues like inflation, housing, and healthcare.
When asked about the resolution during his White House visit, Mamdani downplayed its importance. He said he’d focused “very little on resolutions” and reiterated his identity as a democratic socialist, emphasizing that despite ideological differences, his top priority is the practical work of making New York more affordable. That pragmatism seemed to carry into the meeting: according to his team, the discussion with Trump centered on urban issues such as public safety, economic security, and housing.
The tone of the meeting was surprisingly cordial, given their earlier clashes. Trump — who had previously mocked Mamdani and threatened to withhold federal funding — reportedly praised him and said he would feel “very comfortable” living in New York after the conversation. For his part, Mamdani expressed a willingness to cooperate with the White House where it benefits New Yorkers, while still warning that he would push back against policies that harm his constituents.
This episode captures a complex moment in U.S. politics: Congress symbolically reaffirming its rejection of socialism at the same time a high-profile democratic socialist prepares to assume major power. It underscores not only the ideological fault lines within the Democratic Party but also raises questions about how political identity, governance, and cooperation will play out in the coming months — especially in one of the country’s most influential cities.
