'Mr. Mayor - and I love saying that...' Hostin began, before bringing up the fatal ICE shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Good.
By ALEX HAMMER, US MEDIA CORRESPONDENT
Published: 12:26 BST, 21 January 2026 | Updated: 15:40 BST, 21 January 2026
The women of The View welcomed newly elected New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to the show on Tuesday - and panelist Sunny Hostin wasted no time relishing in his election win. 'Mr. Mayor - and I love saying that...' Hostin, 57, began, before bringing up the fatal ICE shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Good. Mamdani, in response, stood by prior statements slamming Good's death as 'murder'. The former state assemblyman then revealed that he remains in close contact with Donald Trump. The two appeared to hit it off during a photo-op in November, fascinating Joy Behar to no end.
Behar, at a point, asked the mayor if he's attempting a 'charm offensive' with the conservative, to which a diplomatic Mamdani, 34, replied: 'I think my intention is about being honest and direct with the president. 'And I think there are many disagreements the two of us have.' Behar also found interest in the fact that the two politicians have been texting each other - another tidbit confirmed by Mamdani. 'Can I see the texts?' the comedienne asked, before being met with laughter from the studio audience. 'I don't have my phone,' Mamdani cracked.
Behar, 83, joked that the excuse was 'very convenient,' before prodding the Democratic socialist some more by asking if he really feels Trump 'cares about New York City.' 'And do you have an award for him?' she added, perhaps quipping about Trump's failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize last year. Mamdani appeared to dodge the first question by focusing on the softball follow-up. 'I don't have an award, but I will say, though, I'll exhaust every possibility [when it comes to cooperation between the White House and his team]. 'When New Yorkers elect a mayor they're looking for someone who is going to turn over every leaf to see what they can do for the city. That's what I'm going to do.'
At another point in the appearance, Mamdani called for the abolition of ICE, arguing that any deportation raids would 'rip' the Big Apple apart. 'And I've said this directly to the president - that these ICE raids are cruel, inhumane, they do nothing to deliver that public safety, in fact, what they do is leave a sense of fear among so many,' he said separately. The spot was Mamdani's second on The View, after appearing on the daytime opinion program in October.
He went on to score a second election win over fellow candidate Andrew Cuomo, after beating the disgraced former governor in the Democratic primaries. The primary win was widely seen as an upset, as Cuomo received endorsements from dozens of high-profile Democrats - and even Republicans. The cornerstone of Mamdani's campaign was affordability.