Mamdani on Trump, Floods, and the Fight Over Data Centers

About this episode

His name might not be on the ballot this November, but New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in American politics right now. After his barrier-breaking victory late last year, Mamdani has emerged as the face of the no-holds-barred progressive movement and has spent the season leveraging his rising capital to shape races with a string of endorsements. In this episode of Stress Test, co-host Garrison Hayes sits down one-on-one with Mayor Mamdani in front of a live audience at The New School’s Tishman Auditorium during Climate Week NYC last month—for an event co-presented by Mother Jones, Capital B, and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.With the midterms looming, Mamdani dives into an issue rapidly redefining the political landscape: the nationwide AI data center building boom. He breaks down why the surging demand for energy and resources it creates isn’t just a tech story but an urgent, kitchen-table climate issue motivating voters across party lines. And, naturally, any chat with Mamdani manages to find its way to New York’s basketball heroes, the Knicks.  But with an unexpected, headline-grabbing guest visiting Gracie Mansion j