Mamdani gets roasted after telling sweltering New Yorkers to set ACs to 78 degrees: ‘Commie’

July 2, 2026 9:41am EDT / Fox News

Republican Gov Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Rep Brandon Gill were among those linking the AC advice to socialism

By Andrew Mark Miller, Kiera McDonald

Bill Maher calls Mamdani a ‘straight up communist,’ warns Dems will ‘lose more elections’ if they deny it

On Friday’s episode of “Real Time,” host Bill Maher called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani a “straight up communist” and warned Democrats will “lose more elections” if they try to deny it.

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New York City’s socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked viral outrage on Thursday when he responded to a heat wave affecting the city by instructing residents how to set their air conditioners.

The blowback came as New York City expanded emergency heat measures during a historic holiday weekend heat wave, with officials warning temperatures could feel as hot as 112 degrees.

“New York: it’s hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool,” Mamdani posted on X as the city dealt with sweltering temperatures.

“Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you’re not using, and unplug what you can. Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment. A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let’s ease demand — and get through the heat — together.”

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Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani delivers a speech at Gracie Mansion to celebrate Juneteenth in New York on June 16, 2026.(Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Mamdani’s post quickly went viral and was seen over 36.5 million times as conservatives and pundits blasted the mayor over his instructions on what temperature to set their air conditioning units.

“Show us your thermostat, commie,” reality TV star and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted on X.

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“78 degrees???” Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy posted on X. “Welcome to communism people! Hope you enjoy! “

“Welcome to socialism, where the government demands you turn your house into a sauna because they can’t plan for the super unpredictable fact that it tends to get hot in the summer,” Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, posted on X.

“78 degrees?” conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted on X. “My AC does not go above 68 in the summer. This is America for God’s sake.”

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was elected in November 2025 and sworn in on Jan. 1, 2026.(Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

“Turns out socialism actually isn’t free,” Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted on X.

“Do you feel the warmth of collectivism yet?” Red State writer Bonchie posted on X.

Manhattan Institute fellow Daniel Di Martino responded to the post on X with a meme riffing on the 19th-century flag showing American defiance but swapping an AC unit for a cannon with the words “come and take it.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.

While Mamdani faced accusations of being a communist on social media, his political power is on the rise in New York City, highlighted by last week’s primary elections where his slate of endorsed socialist-linked candidates were all victorious.

After those elections, former Vice President Kamala Harris reached out to Mamdani and the two connected by phone, Fox News Digital reported, sending a signal that Mamdani’s base will be critical in deciding who becomes the next Democratic presidential nominee in 2028.

Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.