Legendary Actor Jon Voight Calls on Trump to Intervene in NYC Politics, Warns of “Dark Future” Under Mamdani

By: Andrew Carlson – Jewish Voice News

Academy Award–winning actor Jon Voight issued a passionate public appeal this week urging President Trump to intervene in New York City politics, warning that Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and the city’s first Muslim mayor, poses what he described as a “serious threat” to the city’s future.

According to a report on Saturday night at VIN News, Voight — one of Hollywood’s most prominent conservative voices — released a video message in which he called Mamdani a “communist fool” and warned that his leadership could “take down the city that never sleeps” and “turn it into a forbidden place of darkness.” The actor, who is internationally recognized for his roles in Midnight Cowboy and Coming Home, said he feared that Mamdani’s progressive agenda would erode New York’s economic foundation and civic identity.

“This 35-year-old mayor has no right dictating the rules of socialism for a city built on our highest principles, with brick and stone by hard-working Americans,” Voight declared in the video, as cited in the VIN News report. “He wants to bring his darkness to the greatest city in the world — but we, the people, will not allow it.”

Voight, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1979 for his portrayal of a paralyzed Vietnam War veteran in Coming Home, has long been outspoken about his conservative and patriotic views. In his latest message, he accused Mamdani of promoting what he described as “anti-American ideals” under the guise of social justice and economic reform.

As reported by VIN News, Voight’s remarks reflect growing concerns among some New Yorkers over Mamdani’s political orientation and his affiliations with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The organization, which Mamdani has represented since his early days as a state assemblyman from Queens, has been sharply critical of capitalism, policing, and U.S. foreign policy toward Israel — positions that have divided the city’s electorate.

In the nearly two-minute video, Voight directly appealed to Trump, calling him the only leader capable of countering what he called a “looming catastrophe.”

“Mr. President Trump, I’m calling on you and only you to stop this horror,” Voight said. “New York City is a place of greatness, built by generations of men and women who dreamed of freedom, of building a life through faith and hard work. We cannot allow a radical with no love for America to destroy it.”

As VIN News has reported in recent weeks, Mamdani’s election has reignited long-simmering tensions over ideology, religion, and the direction of the nation’s largest city. The 35-year-old mayor-elect, who won a decisive victory in November after defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, campaigned on an aggressively progressive platform focused on expanding affordable housing, cutting police budgets, and raising taxes on luxury real estate developers.

His critics — including prominent business leaders, real estate figures, and Jewish community representatives — have warned that his policies could lead to economic instability and heightened social division.

Voight, in his video statement, echoed those concerns, warning that Mamdani’s proposed reforms could devastate small businesses and drive working families out of the city. “Defend your businesses, defend your property, defend your freedoms,” Voight urged New Yorkers. “Because this mayor does not care for your livelihood. He cares only for power and for turning our city into a playground for radicals.”

The VIN News report noted that Voight’s message comes at a time when many Jewish and pro-Israel organizations in the city have expressed alarm over Mamdani’s record. As a state lawmaker, Mamdani was a founding member of Students for Justice in Palestine during his college years and a vocal supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement — stances that have drawn sharp rebukes from New York’s Jewish leaders and civic officials.

This is not the first time Voight has used his public platform to address political and social issues. A longtime supporter of Donald Trump, the actor has appeared at rallies and Republican National Committee events, often framing his political commentary in moral and spiritual terms.

As highlighted in the VIN News report, Voight has frequently positioned himself as a defender of traditional American values, speaking out against socialism, antisemitism, and Hollywood’s “moral decay.” His earlier videos, many of which went viral during the 2020 election cycle, praised Trump as a “man of truth” and a “warrior for freedom.”

In his latest remarks, Voight suggested that Trump’s leadership was still needed to “restore order” and defend the country from what he described as “a radical leftist takeover.” His plea for intervention in New York’s local politics places a focus on the growing sense among conservative figures that the city — once regarded as a beacon of opportunity — has drifted dangerously to the left.

So far, Mayor-elect Mamdani has not directly responded to Voight’s comments. His campaign staff declined to comment when asked by reporters, but Mamdani has previously dismissed his critics as “fearmongers unwilling to face the failures of the current system.”

According to the information contained in the VIN News report, Mamdani has remained focused on finalizing his transition team and preparing for his swearing-in ceremony next month. He is expected to unveil his cabinet within days, with sources indicating that several prominent figures from activist organizations and left-wing policy groups will be appointed to key positions.

Despite mounting criticism, Mamdani has continued to frame his agenda as a “people’s mandate,” claiming that his election victory reflects a shift in New York’s political consciousness. “This city is ready for change — real change,” he said in his election-night speech. “No longer will billionaires dictate the future of working people.”

Voight’s warning, however, adds a new dimension to the public debate surrounding Mamdani’s leadership, especially as national attention increasingly turns to New York as a testing ground for urban socialism in America’s largest metropolis.

In his closing remarks, Voight struck a defiant tone, invoking his love for the city where much of his acting career first flourished. “New York has always been a city of light, of courage, and of liberty,” he said. “We must not let that light go out.”

The actor called on New Yorkers across political and religious lines to unite in opposition to what he characterized as an ideological threat. “Do not be silent,” Voight urged. “Stand up for the city that built you, that gave you dreams, that gave the world greatness. Because if New York falls, America follows.”

As the VIN News report observed, Voight’s remarks reflect a growing unease among conservatives who see Mamdani’s rise as emblematic of a broader national shift toward socialist politics. While the actor’s fiery language drew both praise and criticism online, his message captured the heightened political and cultural tension gripping New York as it prepares to usher in one of its most controversial leaders in decades.

For Voight, who described Trump as “the last defender of America’s freedom,” the call to action was as personal as it was political. “We have faced darkness before,” he said. “But we will not surrender this city — or this nation — to those who wish to destroy it.”

According to the report at VIN News, the video quickly circulated on social media platforms, amassing tens of thousands of views within hours of its release and reigniting debate over the future direction of the city that Voight, like so many others, once called home.