'…And so it begins!': Trump fires cryptic post after election night defeat, skips mention of Mamdani

A subdued and visibly frustrated President Donald Trump on Wednesday broke his silence following a disappointing election night for Republicans, posting a cryptic message — “…AND SO IT BEGINS!” — after a string of losses.

Speaking to GOP lawmakers at the White House, Trump said he wanted to “have a discussion” about the results but notably made no mention of New York’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani — a figure he has spent months attacking.

“Last night, it was not expected to be a victory, it was very Democrat areas. But I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” The Guardian quoted Trump as saying. “I’m not sure it was good for anybody.”

He added, “We had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot, and we’re going to talk about that.”

Trump’s silence on Mamdani marked a sharp shift from his earlier rhetoric. Since Mamdani clinched the Democratic nomination for New York mayor, Trump had repeatedly targeted the Democratic socialist, calling him “a 100% Communist Lunatic” and “my little communist.” He even threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani were elected.

According to CNN, the New York mayoral race had been a particular focus for Trump in recent weeks, with aides saying he spoke more about it than about gubernatorial contests in New Jersey or Virginia.

On the eve of the election, Trump urged supporters on Truth Social to back former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo’s independent mayoral bid, writing, “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job. He is capable of it, Mamdani is not!”

After Mamdani’s victory speech Tuesday night, Trump appeared to acknowledge the outcome with his brief but loaded post: “…AND SO IT BEGINS!”

By Wednesday morning, Trump had shifted focus, marking the anniversary of his own election victory a year earlier. “Happy Anniversary! On this day, November 5th, one year ago, we had one of the Greatest Presidential Victories in History,” he wrote.

With inputs from agencies