Trump calls out ‘new communist mayor’ Mamdani while urging passage of SAVE Act in SOTU
WASHINGTON, DC: During the State of the Union address, President Donald Trump urged Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a proposal that would require Americans to provide proof of US citizenship to register to vote.
He also criticized Zohran Mamdani, referring to him as the “new communist mayor of New York City,” as he attacked the mayor’s policies and leadership during his remarks.
Trump defends voter ID, targets NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani
"Why would anybody not want voter ID? One reason, because they want to cheat; there’s only one reason," Trump said during the State of the Union. "They make up all excuses, they say it’s racist, they come up with things you almost say what imagination, they had."
Trump then referred to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, calling him the "new communist mayor of New York City." He noted that this week, city officials required people to show forms of ID to be paid for shoveling the city's snow.
Trump said, "Even the new communist mayor of New York City, I think he's a nice guy actually. I speak to him a lot. Bad policies but nice guy"
"They got hit hard. Wants them to shovel snow, but if you apply for that job, you need to show two original forms of ID and a social security card," Trump added.
Trump pushes insider trading ban, retirement plan
Trump also criticized insider trading in Congress during his speech and urged lawmakers to “pass the Stop Insider Trading Act without delay.”
He said, "Let’s also ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information. They stood up for that. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Did Nancy Pelosi stand up, if she’s here?"
.@POTUS: As we ensure that all Americans can profit from a rising stock market, let’s also ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit using inside information. Pass the STOP Insider Trading Act WITHOUT DELAY.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2026
"Did Nancy Pelosi stand up? Doubt it." 🤣 pic.twitter.com/sTKvLYTcms
Critics have frequently pointed to the Pelosis’ financial disclosures as they push for stricter rules on stock trading by members of Congress.
Representative Bryan Steil introduced the Stop Insider Trading Act. The bill would ban members of Congress, their spouses, and their dependent children from buying publicly traded stocks. It would also require them to provide public notice before selling stocks, imposing tougher rules than the 2012 STOCK Act.
Trump also proposed a new retirement savings plan for workers who do not receive matching contributions from their employers. He said the federal government would match up to $1,000 per year to help more Americans grow their savings through the market.
