Trump Considers Denying Mamdani the Security Clearance Required to Run NYC

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani now confronts a critical early huddle in his mayoral leadership: obtaining a top-level federal security clearance.

With this clearance, Mamdani gets to receive intelligence briefings on potential threats to the city, from terrorism to major infrastructure risks. Over the next weeks, federal law enforcement will vet Mamdani's background, a process that could reveal the tone of future collaboration or conflict between the new mayor and US President Donald Trump.

Trump More Likely to Deny Mamdani Security Clearance

John Sandweg, former acting general counsel at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), explained to POLITICO that denying Mamdani's clearance would be 'highly unusual and more impactful than any of the other revocations that the administration has done'.

It would also represent an unprecedented escalation, especially given the city's ongoing status as a potential terror target and routine intelligence sharing between the NYPD and federal agencies.

Trump has previously used the revocation of security clearances to punish political opponents, including New York State Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Even former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had theirs removed, which is a largely symbolic gesture since ex-officials are typically not privy to real-time threat briefings.

In contrast, denying Mamdani's clearance could actively hinder the day-to-day governance of New York City, given that the mayor's role involves making decisions on public safety, including citywide lockdowns or emergency responses.

Mamdani-Trump Relationship

It does not help that tension between the two has been publicly evident. During his victory speech, Mamdani directly addressed Trump, telling him to 'turn the volume up' if he was watching on television.

Besides his democratic socialist policies, Trump has been clashing head-on with the new NYC mayor over his immigration stance, with threats to 'deport him' despite being an American citizen and 'punishing New York' by defunding.

Mamdani, born in Uganda, and naturalised as a US citizen in 2018, has faced calls for deportation from some Republican lawmakers.

With his wealth tax and free public transportation, even Wall Street billionaires themselves are siding with Trump to 'cripple' his policies. This means supporting and backing a Republican governor to block his 'promises to New Yorkers' as the gubernatorial race heats up in 2026.

Mamdani's Vetting Process and Possible Outcomes

Federal clearance reviews will consider Mamdani's background before allowing him to gain security clearance. This means taking a look at criminal history, financial vulnerabilities, and any factors that could compromise an individual's access to sensitive information.

Terence Monahan, former NYPD chief of department, assured New Yorkers that there are no apparent red flags in Mamdani's history.

'There's nothing he has done and nothing in his history the FBI or Homeland Security could point to and say he can't get it', Monahan said. Sandweg also echoed this, adding that even if concerns exist, they must be weighed against the fact that Mamdani is the duly elected mayor, whose decisions impact millions of residents.

The outcome of Mamdani's clearance review will provide an early indication of how the Trump administration plans to interact with the incoming mayor. A denial could strain cooperation between federal agencies and New York City law enforcement, therefore, complicating intelligence-sharing and emergency planning.

So far, Trump has not signaled a willingness to maintain operational stability with Mamdani's policies.