AOC and Mamdani depart DC breakfast as Democratic leaders withhold endorsements
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., hosted a breakfast for NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani with Democrats in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning.
The political earthquake that shook the Democratic Party when Zohran Mamdani won New York City's primary last month has rattled its way down to Washington, D.C., as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., teamed up with Mamdani at a "Communication and Organizing Skillshare Breakfast" on Wednesday morning.
Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive champion and youngest woman elected to Congress, was an early endorser of Mamdani, the 33-year-old so-called democratic socialist who has yet to land key endorsements from New York Democratic leaders.
The Bronx and Queens representative campaigned with Mamdani in New York City ahead of his primary win last month, and on Wednesday, the "Squad" member is welcoming Mamdani to the nation's capital.
Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani were scheduled to host the 8 a.m. breakfast at the National Democratic Club. While the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is located right next door to where Wednesday's breakfast is being held, the DNC said it was not involved with the event.
Minutes before the breakfast was scheduled to start, the location was moved to a restaurant a few blocks away.
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Zohran Mamdani, left, is joining Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a breakfast event in Washington on Wednesday morning. (AP Images)
Ocasio-Cortez confirmed the breakfast meeting on Tuesday, telling reporters she is eager for people to meet him "face to face" and "hear what he has to say about making New York affordable for working people," while championing issues like rent freezes, affordable childcare and grocery prices.
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"I think a lot of people just need to get to know folks before they issue an endorsement. I hope that this conversation can be constructive to bring the party together and rally behind our nominee," Ocasio-Cortez said.
Mamdani has yet to secure endorsements from two top New York Democrats - House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer.
Members of the media stakeout a breakfast hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and New York City Democratic Party mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, on July 16, 2025 in Washington D.C. (Deirdre Heavey - Fox News)
"I'm excited to go to Washington, D.C., to speak with Congressman Jeffries, to speak with Senator Schumer, to speak with leaders of our party across the country," Mamdani said Tuesday.
But while Mamdani is eager to meet with Jeffries and Schumer in Washington, no such meeting has been reported.
When Fox News asked Schumer if he was meeting with Mamdani in Washington on Wednesday, he said, "I spoke with him last night and will be meeting in New York City."
And on Monday, Jeffries told reporters, "I'm scheduled to meet with the Democratic nominee at the end of the week back home in Brooklyn."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., right, is joined by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for a press conference in Statuary Hall at the Capitol on Feb. 12, 2025. (AP/Rod Lamkey, Jr./File)
Longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, who has endorsed Mamdani, asked by Fox News if Schumer and Jeffries would eventually endorse the mayoral nominee, said he "would assume so in time."
Nadler spoke with Fox News after attending the breakfast meeting.
Last month, New York Democrats congratulated Mamdani on securing the Democratic nomination and confirmed they were having discussions with the young socialist, who would be New York City's first Muslim mayor if elected this November.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., endorsed Mamdani last week after backing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. Cuomo announced on Monday his decision to stay in the mayoral race as an independent.
"We're past the primary, and the people of New York City have spoken," Epsaillat said Thursday. "If there is a common denominator in every decision that I've made since I began to represent this district, in terms of supporting someone, it’s called the Democratic Party."
Ocasio-Cortez agreed Democrats are "stronger when we are united" when speaking with reporters Tuesday.
"Zohran Mamdani is the Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City, and as a Democrat, I am rallying behind our nominee," Ocasio-Cortez said.
Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., said he would not attend Ocasio-Cortez's breakfast on Wednesday. Suozzi, a moderate, has emerged as a vocal opponent to Mamdani's campaign among New York Democrats.
But Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Michigan, attended the breakfast meeting and told reporters as she departed that Mamdani had successfully utilized social media on the campaign trail. Dingell also blamed the media for what she said was rhetoric that Democrats are moving towards socialism.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington State, a top progressive House member, told reporters as she left the meeting that Mamdani was "inspiring."
Rep. Ro Khanna of California, another leading progressive lawmaker who is also considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, told reporters as he left the meeting that Mamdani was "very impressive."
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, a Democrat from New York who has endorsed Mamdani, told reporters as she left the meeting that "it it just its just beautiful to have someone who is so authentic, you know, that money cannot buy that. And, we had a great conversation."
It appears Mamdani didn't delve into specifics regarding the far-left agenda he's hoping to enact if he's elected New York City mayor, and instead spotlighted his effective campaign trail messaging which focused on the crucial issue of affordability.
Democratic Rep. Luz Rivas of California told reporters upon leaving the meeting that "it was just more how he was getting that message out," when asked what Mamdani discussed.
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani campaigns in New York City on April 16, 2025. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., confirmed he was planning to attend Wednesday's breakfast. While Moskowitz admitted he has "vast disagreements" with Mamdani on policy, he said he wants to learn about running a successful digital campaign.
Meanwhile, back at the White House, Fox News' Peter Doocy asked President Donald Trump if he was invited to the breakfast.
"I'd love to be," Trump said. "I'd really love to go. I mean, I look forward to meeting them both."
But Trump reiterated his claim that Mamdani is "a Communist. I don't think our country is ready for a Communist, but we're going to see. And I don't think that race is over yet either."
Trump added that he thinks Cuomo should stay in the race because "he has a shot."
President Donald Trump arrives on the South Lawn of the White House from Camp David on June 9, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)
"He's running against a Communist. I would think that he would have a good shot of winning," Trump explained.
The Mamdani campaign was quick to seize on Trump's comments Tuesday.
"We would like to congratulate Andrew Cuomo on earning Donald Trump’s endorsement. Obviously, this triumph speaks for itself. The question now is whether Cuomo will embrace Trump’s support publicly or continue to just accept it in private," Jeffrey Lerner, a Mamdani campaign spokesperson, said in a statement.
Republicans have been relentless in trying to anchor Mamdani to Democrats across the country who are running in competitive races in elections this year and in next year's midterms.
Asked earlier this week if Mamdani is giving the GOP extra ammunition in their messaging battle, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley said, "Absolutely."
"I mean, this is the face of the new Democratic Party," Whatley charged in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.
"Everybody who wants to lead that party wants to lead it to the left. They're moving away from the American public right now at a pretty rapid clip."
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The National Republican Congressional Committee, which aims to protect the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the House in next year’s midterms, has repeatedly tied Democrats to Mamdani.
"Radical socialist Zohran Mamdani isn’t just the future of the Democrat Party, he is the Democrat Party. On the campaign trail, we’ll make sure every voter knows House Democrats share his far-left agenda. They may try to run from it, but they’ve already bent the knee."
Fox News' Kelly Phares, Tyler Olson, Dan Scully, Ryan Schmelz, Sandy Ibrahim and Peter Doocy contributed to this report.
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