New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has faced widespread mockery and criticism following his public statements regarding the approaching heat wave and the city's power grid.
Mamdani urged New York residents to set their air conditioning units to 78 degrees Fahrenheit to ease the strain on the power grid, citing the city's infrastructure struggling with capacity. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he stated, "A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let's ease demand — and get through the heat — together."
Shortly after this directive, Mamdani also advised residents to check on elderly friends, family, and neighbors, ensuring they stay hydrated and spend time in air-conditioned spaces, and to know the location of the nearest cooling centers. This dual messaging quickly drew attention online.
Critics, including media personalities and social media users, pointed out what they perceived as a contradiction between limiting personal AC use and advising vulnerable populations to stay in cooled environments. "You just told old people to keep their air at 78. Are you on drugs?" one user commented on X.
Another observer noted, "Mamdani: Older adults are at greater risk for heat-related illness, especially during prolonged periods of extreme heat. Also Mamdani: set you AC to 78 degrees." Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt also weighed in, posting, "Show us your thermostat, commie."
Mamdani's office indicated that the city is deploying additional measures to combat the heat, such as Cooling Outreach On-Location (COOL) vans, extended hours for cooling centers, and adding eight new cooling centers in locations like libraries. The city is predicting a heat wave that could reach up to 112 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist, has previously linked quality of life to climate change responses. In an interview last year with The Nation, he stated, "Climate and quality of life are not two separate concerns. They are, in fact, one and the same," and proposed new school infrastructure that could double as shelters during heat waves.
Some social media users also noted that former Republican New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani issued similar AC temperature recommendations in 1999, citing an archived press release.