‘Deport Mamdani, Dump Musk’: Trump Threatens To Strip Citizenship – But Can He? | World News
New York: The microphones had barely cooled from his last rally when Donald Trump lit another fire. This time, the heat was directed at two names with global recognition – Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Zohran Mamdani (member of the New York State Assembly and Democratic mayoral candidate). In front of cameras and flashing headlines, the U.S. president did not hold back.
He said Musk might have to pack his bags and fly back to South Africa. He said Mamdani could face arrest if he did not cooperate with deportation operations in New York. And if that was not enough, he raised the idea of stripping both of their U.S. citizenships.
Mamdani Under Fire
Zohran Mamdani’s face is becoming a symbol in New York’s political race. Born in Kampala to Indian-origin parents, the 33-year-old became a U.S. citizen in 2018. His rise has been swift. But now, his citizenship itself is under question.
Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles wants a federal probe. His accusation? That Mamdani concealed ties to individuals linked with terrorism before becoming a citizen. His evidence? A rap lyric, a political rally and some public statements. That is all it took for Ogles to label him a threat.
Zohran “little muhammad” Mamdani is an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York. He needs to be DEPORTED. Which is why I am calling for him to be subject to denaturalization proceedings.
Attached is my letter to @AGPamBondi. pic.twitter.com/RWCZm67VOr
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) June 26, 2025
He even suggested Mamdani supported calls to “globalize the intifada”. Trump took the cue and went further. If Mamdani stops ICE from deporting undocumented immigrants, Trump warned, “We will have to arrest him.”
The President Turns on Musk
Trump’s rift with Musk is more recent and sharper. Just a year ago, the Tesla CEO had helped bankroll Trump’s campaign. Today, he is become a target.
Trump’s grievance? A spending bill that slashed tax credits for electric vehicles – a hit for Tesla. Musk opposed it. Trump responded with fire. He said that without subsidies, Musk would have to “close up shop”.
He even hinted Musk should go back to South Africa.
Then came a threat wrapped in sarcasm. Trump said maybe “DOGE” – the Department of Government Efficiency – should look into Musk. The same DOGE that Musk once helped create. The same agency he left just a few weeks ago.
Can Citizenship Really Be Stripped?
Stripping U.S. citizenship is not as easy as making a speech. Naturalised citizens can only lose their status if they lied during the application or committed certain crimes like terrorism or war crimes.
The Justice Department has launched denaturalisation efforts before. A recent case involved a convicted sex offender who had hidden his crimes. But experts say Mamdani and Musk do not fall under any such category.
Legal scholars believe Trump’s threats may be more political than legal. Professor Michael Kagan called it intimidation wrapped in nationalism. Rarely has denaturalisation been used this openly against political opponents, he said.
Musk’s Past, Mamdani’s Stand
Musk was born in Pretoria in 1971. He moved to Canada, then to the United States in 1992. He became a citizen in 2002. His early visa records are a matter of public record now. J-1 student visa. H-1B work permit. No violations found.
Mamdani moved to New York at age seven. He grew up in Queens. He became a citizen after two decades of life in the United States. His supporters say the accusations are a smear – a dangerous precedent in a democracy.
In his response, Mamdani did not flinch. He accused Trump of inciting fear. He said ICE will not be allowed to “terrorize our city”. He did not backtrack. He did not apologize. He stood his ground.
My statement on Donald Trump’s threat to deport me and his praise for Eric Adams, who the President “helped out” of legal accountability. https://t.co/m7pNcT2DFS pic.twitter.com/UcYakMx4lI
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) July 1, 2025
A Throwback
America has stripped citizenship before. Remember Anarchist Emma Goldman and Nazi sympathiser Paul Knauer? That was during war and Cold War paranoia.
The courts tightened the rules in 1967. A man named Beys Afroyim lost his citizenship after voting in an Israeli election. The Supreme Court stepped in. It ruled that Americans could not be stripped of citizenship for political beliefs or foreign votes alone.
That precedent still stands. But Trump’s words have opened an old door – one filled with political ghosts.
