De Blasio Says Mayor Mamdani ‘Will Keep People Safe’ Despite Past Rhetoric

Former Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday on Fox News’ “Hannity” that socialist Democratic NYC mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani will keep city residents “safe” despite his past rhetoric about defunding the police.

De Blasio has supported Mamdani’s policies, which many have called out due to the detrimental effect they could have on the city. Hannity and de Blasio discussed President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard in Washington, D.C. and potentially other major crime-ridden cities. The two men argued whether troops are necessary to halt crime. (RELATED: Zohran Mamdani Attempts Bench Press On Campaign Trail — And It’s Hard To Watch)

“Since Obama has been president, I’ve been scrolling the names of people shot and killed in Chicago for years, and nobody’s done a damn thing, and no lives are being saved,” Hannity said. “Now we have the number one of any nation on earth, our capital city, the number one homicide rate. Baghdad is safer. Mexico City is safer. El Salvador, San Salvador is safer than Washington D.C. And we discovered, like New York, they’re cooking the books, and then they’re not even giving us the accurate figures. Why would you be against boots on the ground to help people live safe and secure, have law and order so they can pursue happiness?”

“I am not against having the number of law enforcement officers we needed. That means police officers. That means working with local communities, with police officers,” de Blasio said.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said he was considering sending National Guard troops to Chicago after deploying them in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 11. The decision to deploy the National Guard in the nation’s capital came after a slew of crimes in Washington, D.C. drew national attention.

Among some were the brutal attack against a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer and the fatal June 30 shooting of Republican intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym. Democrats and legacy media pundits use Washington, D.C.’s crime dropping 35% in 2024 by citing local police data. The statistics, though, left out crimes such as felonies and aggravated assaults.

WATCH:

While reports have indicated that overall crime in New York City has dropped, years of underreported rapes have skewed New York Police Department statistics, according to the New York Post. The outlet reported that while NYPD data shows declines in murders and burglaries, 517 rapes were reported in the second quarter of 2025, up from 448 during the same period in 2024.

Hannity told de Blasio that Mamdani has a history of calling to defund the police.

De Blasio, however, claimed that former New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton told him that the “way to create safety is by bringing police and community together in common cause.”

“OK, you’re not running for mayor. You’re supporting a guy that said, ‘Defund the police,’” Hannity pushed back.

“Again, wait till he gets to office. If he does, and I think he’s going to change when he gets to office. I think he will be very clear about keeping people safe. I really do,” de Blasio said.

In July, Mamdani sidestepped a reporter who asked if he regretted making several anti-police statements in 2020 and repeatedly called for the NYPD to be defunded following the death of George Floyd. Mamdani said the statements were made “amidst a frustration” due to Floyd’s death and that “they need not choose between the two.”

If elected in November, Mamdani said he plans to implement policies like raising the minimum wage to $30, launching government-run grocery stores and taxing “richer and whiter” neighborhoods. While Republicans have raised concerns over the proposals, reports have circulated that some business owners in the city are considering whether to flee if Mamdani takes office.

In a July poll conducted by political analyst Mark Halperin’s “Next Up,” in partnership with Wick, Mamdani is leading the four-way race with 39%, followed by former Democratic New York Gov. Cuomo at 21%, Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa at 18% and Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams at 9%.

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