JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon says he delivered a blunt message to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a private meeting last week: governing the nation’s largest city requires practical results, not ideological slogans.
Speaking Friday with FOX Business host Maria Bartiromo at the Reagan National Economic Forum, Dimon described his face-to-face meeting with Mamdani as cordial but made clear he wasn’t there to flatter the city’s progressive mayor.
“I had a great meeting with Mamdani, meaning it was pleasant, you know, but I said everything I wanted to say,” Dimon said.
The Wall Street titan noted that managing New York City’s sprawling bureaucracy is a far cry from campaigning for office.
“I’ve seen mayors grow into the job,” Dimon said. “I’ve seen mayors who just, they fail abysmally because they can’t administer themselves out of a paper bag, or ideology blinds them to practical, realistic, real-world policy.”
“And so we’ll see.”
The comments came after Mamdani met with Dimon at JPMorgan’s new Manhattan headquarters as the mayor intensifies an outreach campaign to business leaders who have expressed concern about his progressive agenda and proposals to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers.
According to City Hall, the pair discussed reducing government waste, streamlining development regulations and expanding public-private partnerships. JPMorgan said the meeting focused heavily on maintaining New York City’s economic competitiveness.
Dimon used the appearance to reiterate a long-held belief that policymakers often focus too heavily on raising taxes and increasing spending while ignoring reforms that could improve economic growth.
“Good policy is free,” he said. “I feel like telling the politicians, don’t try to raise more taxes or spend more money, sit down and fix policy.”
“I think you can go 1% faster. I literally believe that.”
Bartiromo also pressed Dimon about one of Mamdani’s most controversial campaign moments: a viral video filmed outside billionaire Citadel founder Ken Griffin’s Manhattan residence as part of a push for higher taxes on wealthy part-time residents.
“Yeah, but, Jamie, give me a break,” Bartiromo said. “He did a video in front of Ken Griffin’s house. I mean, you know, that’s a security issue.”
“I agree,” Dimon replied.
“My guess is he probably regrets that, but you got to ask him that.”
Watch the clip below:
🚨 NOW: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon RIPS Ugandan Mayor Mamdani's communism and delusional beliefs he can tax the rich forever
"It's frustrating. It hurts. It's embarrassing. And it always hurts the civilians of our country!"
"Good policy is free. Don't try to raise more taxes or… pic.twitter.com/AhSr5h1hdv
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 29, 2026
