Karoline Leavitt calls out at Zohran Mamdani's wife as White House quits playing nice with 'communist' New York City mayor
The White House launched a public attack on New York City's new mayor just a day after his inauguration, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt targeting his wife over her fashion choices.
The White House might be done playing nice with Zohran Mamdani as Karoline Leavitt took a shot at New York City’s first lady just hours after her husband was inaugurated.
Leavitt - the White House press secretary - accused Rama Duwaji of rank hypocrisy for wearing $630 Miista designer boots at Mamdani’s swearing in ceremony in an abandoned subway tunnel.
'They want New Yorkers to hand over more than half their income to the government - while she wears designer boots worth your weekly paycheck,' Leavitt wrote on Instagram.
'Classic Communists - rules for you, but not for them. There are reasons Communism has failed everywhere it's been tried. Good luck, New York.'
Duwaji's stylist, meanwhile, said the boots were borrowed.
The fashion critique lands as Mamdani begins rolling out one of the most aggressive affordability agendas in modern New York history.
His platform includes universal childcare for children aged six weeks to five years, freezing rent for roughly two million rent-stabilized tenants, making buses 'fast and free,' and launching city-run grocery stores to undercut food prices.
Mamdani has never claimed New Yorkers would 'hand over more than half their income,' as Leavitt alleged. He has, however, proposed funding his multi-billion-dollar plans through higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations.
Leavitt's attack comes after a surprisingly friendly meeting between Mamdani and Trump at the White House.
During his inaugural address, Mamdani reiterated his commitment to left-wing principles.
Karoline Leavitt took a shot at New York City’s first lady just hours after her husband Zohran Mamdani was inaugurated - suggesting the White House was done playing nice
President Trump’s spokeswoman blasted Rama Duwaji’s $630 Miista designer boots she wore at Mamdani’s swearing in ceremony in an abandoned subway tunnel
Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, and standing by his side was his wife, Rama Duwaji - in some very pricy boots
'I was elected as a Democratic Socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist,' Mamdani told the crowd. 'I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical.'
'We may not always succeed,' he added. 'But never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try.'