Fox News host Harris Faulkner rebuked New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday, declaring “he’s not my mayor” in response to his Independence Day address that criticized the nation’s treatment of immigrants and the wealthy.
During the broadcast of Outnumbered from Liberty State Park in New Jersey, Faulkner responded to Mamdani’s speech, which he delivered from behind George Washington’s desk at City Hall while flanked by naturalized U.S. citizens. In his remarks marking America’s 250th birthday, Mamdani said, “The powerful have always known their answer. America, in their view, is an arena of supremacy, where only a select few are allowed freedom, where not all are created equal.”
Faulkner’s comment came after co-host Emily Compagno disparaged the mayor for the characterization. “Well, he’s not my mayor,” Faulkner said. “I wouldn’t have had him. But that’s what this city behind us voted for. This is the Jersey side where I live.”
Mamdani’s speech also criticized federal immigration enforcement, saying ICE agents were “terrorizing our streets” and “spiriting” people away “in unmarked vans.” He accused “oligarchs” of buying U.S. elections and dismissed the wealthy and powerful as “small” and “weak,” according to Mediaite.
Mamdani made history as New York City’s first Muslim and first Asian American (South Asian) mayor when he was elected in November 2025, according to NPR. He was sworn in just after midnight on January 1, 2026, becoming the city’s first immigrant mayor in over a century. Before his mayoral victory, Mamdani served as a state assemblyman and championed progressive causes including housing and labor rights.
The mayor’s July 4 address reflected his long-standing focus on immigration policy. Earlier in 2026, when Trump’s border czar Tom Homan threatened a surge of ICE agents to New York City, Mamdani vowed to protect immigrant New Yorkers, signaling that the tension between City Hall and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement would likely remain a flashpoint throughout his tenure.
Sources
- Mediaite — Harris Faulkner’s “not my mayor” comment, Mamdani’s speech at City Hall, and the context of Compagno’s remarks
- NPR — Mamdani’s election as NYC’s first Muslim and first South Asian mayor in November 2025, and his swearing-in on January 1, 2026
- NYC.gov — Mamdani’s prepared remarks on the arena of supremacy and treatment of immigrants
- Fox News — Details on Mamdani’s criticism of ICE agents and oligarchs in his July 4 speech
