In a candid clip from the I’ve Had It podcast that quickly gained traction on social media, Hunter Biden singled out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a rare politician who delivers on what matters most to ordinary people.
“I look at Zohran Mamdani and I go, ‘There’s a leader,’” Biden said. “He made promises, and you know what he did? He kept them. He’s lowering rent. He’s building co-op grocery stores, pre-kindergarten. That’s all people care about.”
Who Is Zohran Mamdani?
Zohran Kwame Mamdani, 35, made history in 2025 when he defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary and then won the general election to become New York City’s 112th mayor. He took office on January 1, 2026.
A Democratic Socialist and three-term state assembly member from Queens, Mamdani is the city’s first Muslim mayor, its first South Asian mayor, and its youngest in more than a century. Born in Uganda to Indian parents and raised partly in New York, he campaigned on a straightforward affordability agenda: freezing rents on stabilized apartments, making buses free, expanding universal childcare, and opening city-run or cooperative grocery stores to combat high food prices.
Delivering on Campaign Promises
Mamdani has moved quickly on several signature pledges:
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Rent freeze: In May–June 2026, the Rent Guidelines Board (with a majority of members appointed by Mamdani) voted to freeze rents on roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments.
- Childcare and pre-K: Working with Gov. Kathy Hochul, his administration secured major state funding expansions for universal pre-kindergarten, 3-K, and new programs for younger children.
- City-owned/co-op grocery stores: Plans are underway for pilot stores in each borough, with the first site identified in East Harlem. These taxpayer-supported outlets aim to offer lower prices by cutting out some middlemen and operating without full commercial rent burdens.
Mamdani has also focused on closing budget gaps, expanding bus and bike infrastructure, and other cost-of-living measures.
Hunter Biden’s Takeaway
Biden’s comments frame Mamdani’s approach as a model of conviction over caution. He contrasts it with what he sees as the Democratic Party’s establishment “triangulating” style, arguing that voters respond to leaders who tackle rent, groceries, and family support directly.
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The clip comes months after Hunter Biden publicly praised Mamdani’s growing influence within the party following a string of progressive primary victories in New York in June 2026.
Why It Matters
Mamdani’s rapid rise and early policy wins have become a flashpoint in national Democratic debates about the party’s direction. Critics on the right and center warn that his democratic socialist agenda could prove fiscally risky in the nation’s largest city. Supporters point to tangible early results on housing costs and childcare access as proof that bold promises can translate into real relief for working families.
Hunter Biden’s endorsement however brief adds an intriguing layer: a prominent voice from the Biden family spotlighting a progressive mayor’s record of follow-through on the very issues voters repeatedly say dominate their lives.
The short video clip continues to circulate widely, sparking discussion about leadership, delivery, and what resonates with everyday New Yorkers and Americans more broadly in 2026.
As Mamdani’s term progresses, his ability to sustain these early wins while navigating the city’s complex budget, political, and legal challenges will determine whether the praise from figures like Hunter Biden proves prophetic or premature. For now, the mayor’s supporters are pointing to the podcast moment as validation that promises kept still matter.
