MAGA-aligned House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is being criticized for targeting the Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, and for referring to Mamdani as a Marxist Socialist when he is a Democratic Socialist, treating the two designations as interchangeable.
[NOTE: Broadly, Democratic socialism seeks to implement socialist economic principles, like universal healthcare and public ownership, through existing democratic elections and reform, while Marxist socialism traditionally advocates for a revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist state with the goal of achieving a classless communist society.]
Johnson complained to Fox News: “There are little Mamdanis popping up all around the country, and they’re openly avowed Marxist socialists. This is something we’ve never seen before in US history. It’s about moving away from a constitutional republic to a communist utopian ideology.”
“There are little Mamdanis popping up all around the country, and they’re openly avowed Marxist socialists. This is something we’ve never seen before in US history. It’s about moving away from a constitutional republic to a communist utopian ideology.”
Oh no! A communist utopia… pic.twitter.com/Vj3ZUkuu6G
— Power to the People ☭
(@ProudSocialist) May 14, 2026
[NOTE: The use of “communist” as a political label is rhetorical weapon often wielded by members of the Republican Party in an effort to portray Democratic opponents as threats to national stability, personal autonomy, and economic prosperity. President Trump frequently called Kamala Harris, his Democratic presidential opponent, a communist, though he has hosted Mamdani twice in the Oval Office and said the two “agree” on many things.]
Considering a U.S. where wealth inequality has reached historic highs, the influential X account @ProudSocialist responded to Johnson: “Oh no! A communist utopia where people come before profits and workers own the means of production instead of the billionaire class. Don’t threaten us with a good time!”
Other critics of Johnson and the Trump administration including @DemocratsDeliver are responding with actions Mamdani has taken, including investing $122M in NYC public schools, and hiring 1,000 additional teachers (rather than investing in school vouchers and privately-owned schools).
NEW: Zohran Mamdani to invest $122M in NYC public schools, hiring 1,000 additional teachers. pic.twitter.com/LhgIwBCKp6
— Democrats Deliver (@DemzDeliver) May 13, 2026