Musk calls Zohran Mamdani a ‘swindler’ but forgets why

Tech billionaire Elon Musk appeared to run out of words when asked to explain his criticism of New York City’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, during a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience.

The episode, uploaded just days before Mamdani’s decisive victory, featured Musk launching into a heated tirade against the 33-year-old politician. He accused the mayor-elect of being a “charismatic swindler” who, according to him, was showered with undue praise by the media.

“You got to hand it to him,” Musk said, visibly irked. “He can light up a stage. But he’s been a swindler his entire life.”

However, when host Joe Rogan pressed Musk to provide an example of Mamdani’s supposed dishonesty, the world’s richest man seemed to short-circuit mid-sentence.

“Well, I guess if you say, uh, what, I mean, if you say to any audience whatever that audience wants to hear, instead of having a consistent message, I would say that is a swindling thing to do,” Musk said, fumbling through pauses and half-finished thoughts before conceding with a meek, “Yeah.”

The exchange quickly went viral, with viewers mocking Musk’s meandering response and awkward silence.

Meanwhile, Mamdani’s campaign had been praised for its clarity and consistency. The progressive candidate won Tuesday’s election in a landslide, defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican contender Curtis Sliwa. His message centred on affordable housing, fair wages, and social equality—issues that resonated deeply with working-class New Yorkers.

Musk, however, seemed unable to accept the outcome. Following the election, he took to his social platform X, claiming—without evidence—that the city’s ballot design was “a scam.” He even shared a photo of a standard ballot, pointing to perfectly normal features as supposed proof of fraud.

For now, Mamdani appears focused on preparing for office, while Musk’s critics say his latest comments show how easily the self-proclaimed “free thinker” falters when faced with a simple question.