The Brendan O'Neill Show Heather Mac Donald: Will Mayor Mamdani ruin New York?
Nov 13, 2025
Heather Mac Donald, a Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author, discusses the implications of Zohran Mamdani's election for New York City. She critiques his policy proposals, arguing they ignore market realities and could exacerbate crime and poverty. Mac Donald highlights Mamdani's elitist background versus his claims to champion the working class and critiques the support he garnered from younger, college-educated voters. She warns that his administration may fuel anti-Israel sentiments and accelerate the Democratic Party's shift leftward.
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Columbia Campus Mindset In City Hall
- Heather Mac Donald argues that Zohran Mamdani embodies the entitled, performative mindset of elite undergraduates now governing New York.
- She warns this mindset is parasitic on public order and lacks practical experience to manage a complex city.
Defunding In Practice Harms Public Safety
- Mamdani plans to move $600 million from policing to a new community safety department staffed by social workers.
- Mac Donald says this will reduce traditional policing capacity and worsen public safety problems.
Inside The Columbia Encampment
- Mac Donald describes visiting the Columbia encampment and finding it performative and well-provisioned by faculty.
- She emphasizes the protest's dependency on the city's infrastructure and amenities.
