Zohran Mamdani's Nine-Second Subway Video Goes Viral After JD Vance Touts Trump's New York Record

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has attracted widespread praise online after responding to US Vice President JD Vance's claims about President Donald Trump's achievements in New York with a nine-second subway video. The exchange began on Monday when Vance shared a graphic crediting the Trump administration with improvements in crime figures, employment and investment.

Mamdani replied without a caption, sharing a video of a man pretending to control a subway train. The clip quickly attracted millions of views and prompted widespread reactions online.

What Was in Mamdani's Nine-Second Subway Video?

The clip features content creator Olly Bee, who describes himself online as the 'world's hardest worker', standing on a New York subway platform wearing a high-visibility vest. As a train approaches, Bee pretends to slow it down with his hands before appearing to open its automatic doors and usher passengers aboard.

He then gestures as though he is responsible for sending the train on its way. Originally posted by Bee in December 2025, the video makes fun of someone taking credit for work that happens without their involvement.

Mamdani offered no caption or explanation. However, social media users interpreted the video as mocking Vance for attributing New York's achievements to the Trump administration.

According to HuffPost, the clip quickly attracted millions of views, with users describing the exchange as a particularly embarrassing response for the Vice President. Bee also welcomed the attention, sharing an Instagram Story asking Mamdani to collaborate with him.

Vance's Claim About Trump's New York Achievements

Vance's original X post featured a graphic titled 'The Trump Admin Delivers for New York', highlighting what the White House described as improvements in public safety, employment and investment. The graphic cited a 48% reduction in murders alongside claims of historically low shooting figures in New York City.

It also listed 337,000 jobs protected, $32 billion (£24 billion) in preserved wages and more than $472 billion (£350 billion) in business investments. 'We got your back, New York!' Vance wrote.

However, the post subsequently received a Community Note questioning whether several figures represented achievements directly attributable to the federal government. The note argued that the investment total included nationwide commitments from companies such as Micron and Anthropic, rather than projects exclusively benefiting New York.

It also linked the reported murder reduction to New York's state-run Gun Involved Violence Elimination programme, involving 28 police departments. The note challenged the presentation of the figures but did not establish that the federal government had made no contribution to the outcomes.

Viral Reply Sparks Reactions Ahead of US Midterms

Mamdani's response spread rapidly ahead of the 3 November midterm elections, attracting more than 28 million views and 1.2 million likes, according to contemporary reports. One X user described the exchange as 'the most brutal ratio in the history of this site', referring to the substantial difference in engagement between the two posts.

Another joked that the video deserved to be preserved in the National Archives. The exchange also reflected continuing disagreements between New York's Democratic leadership and the Republican administration over who should receive credit for improvements in the city.