Americanswers... on 5 Live! Has Zohran Mamdani achieved a miracle in New York?
5/18/202628 min
NYC’s new mayor says his new budget will save the city billions without having to cut key services. In a social media post, Zohran Mamdani told New Yorkers his administration “uncovered a $12 billion budget deficit. Today, I’m proud to say we brought it down to zero. We didn’t close the gap on the backs of working people.”But beyond the headlines, how accurate is this, and what do New Yorkers say about it?
In this episode, Justin, Anthony and Marianna answer your questions with Matt Chorley on 5 Live.They also talk about whether Trump’s social media posts now carry less weight, particularly when it comes to Iran, and a new move by Senate Democrats to take funding away from the president’s plans for a new ballroom. And, how the US president is further expanding the brand of Donald Trump, including with a Trump-branded gold phone.
HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Senior Correspondent
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This episode was made by Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMatt Chorley· Host0:00
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Speaker 20:03
[upbeat music] Give me a mountain with lots to do. Give me the sunshine. Give me a Dew. Give me something simple and true. All I need is sunshine and that cool refreshing Mountain Dew, yeah. So give me my good bands. Give me a Dew.
Matt Chorley· Host0:28
Grab some friends and an ice-cold Mountain Dew today.
Donald Trump· Soundbite0:32
Mountain Dew.
Speaker 20:34
Are you really buying a car online on Autotrader right now?
Anthony Zurcher· Host0:38
Really?
Speaker 20:39
At a playground?
Anthony Zurcher· Host0:40
Yeah. Really. Look at these listings from dealers.
Speaker 20:43
Wow! Your search can really get that specific.
Anthony Zurcher· Host0:46
Really.
Speaker 20:46
And you just put in your info and boom, cars in your budget.
Marianna Spring· Host0:49
Mom!
Anthony Zurcher· Host0:50
Mom needs a second, honey.
Speaker 20:51
You can really have it delivered?
Anthony Zurcher· Host0:52
Really. Or I can pick it up at the dealership.
Marianna Spring· Host0:55
Mom!
Anthony Zurcher· Host0:56
One sec, sweetie. Mommy's buying a car.
Marianna Spring· Host0:58
Mommy, look.
Speaker 20:59
Uh, I think your kid is walking up the slide.
Anthony Zurcher· Host1:01
Kyle, again, really?
Matt Chorley· Host1:03
Autotrader. Buy your car online. Really.
Justin Webb· Host1:05
It's been a while since we talked about Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor of New York, but some people are crediting him with achieving a fiscal miracle, a fiscal miracle closing a twelve billion dollar budget gap without forcing billionaires out of the city or cutting lots of services either. Has he actually done that though, or is there something else beyond the headlines? We also talk in