The Charlie Kirk Show

Episode: "Mamdani's War on New York Homeowners"

Date: February 19, 2026
Host: Charlie Kirk
Guests: Kirsten Fleming (New York Post), Secretary Scott Turner (HUD), panel

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the fiscal crisis and political battles in New York City, with a focus on Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani's policies and their implications for homeowners and the middle class. Host Charlie Kirk brings on New York Post columnist Kirsten Fleming to dissect Mamdani’s radical fiscal approach and its effect on the city's finances, unpack the interplay between local and state politics, and discuss broader economic consequences. The episode also features a substantive interview with HUD Secretary Scott Turner on national housing affordability, immigration, and the administration's efforts to stabilize the real estate market for first-time buyers and young Americans.

Main Discussion Sections

1. Opening Remarks & Context: The Mamdani Fiscal Crisis

• [02:18] Charlie sets the stage by playing a clip from Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani outlining New York’s fiscal emergency and plans to raid rainy day funds, increase property taxes, and lobby for more state funds.
  • Notable reaction:
    “He's very casual about that. Oh, we're raiding the rainy day fund. Which is it a rainy day? No, it's just the start of his.” – Kirsten Fleming ([02:34])

Key Quote

• “There are two paths to bridge this gap. ...ending the drain on our city and raising taxes on the richest New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations.” – Zohran Mamdani ([05:38])

2. The New York State-Local Conflict

[03:19–07:30]

• Kirsten Fleming explains the tension between city and state government—Mamdani's efforts to push state Governor Hochul into a wealth tax as NYC’s budget balloons to $127 billion.
• Discussion about NYC’s refusal to cut spending, use of funds for migrants and expanded public services, and political posturing.
• Charlie: “It almost feels like he’s holding Kathy Hochul hostage.”
• Kirsten frames Mamdani’s approach as “trying to force her hand... trying to manipulate everything.”

Notable Quotes

• “If you do have waste and you have issues going on, you cut spending. You don't keep promising, like, he's Oprah.” – Kirsten Fleming ([04:17])
• “Welcome to the warmth of collectivism.” – Charlie Kirk ([06:28])

Who Is Affected?

• [06:51] Kirsten points out that property tax increases hit regular, often immigrant, middle-class homeowners across all five boroughs, not just wealthy Manhattanites.

3. Socialist Playbook & Voter Response

[07:30–09:54]

• Charlie and Kirsten discuss the “socialist playbook”: overpromise, overspend, run out of other people’s money, scapegoat the productive, and double down with even harsher policies.
• Kirsten notes: The exodus of common-sense New Yorkers during COVID left a more radical base in place, with many unable to relocate due to family or financial ties.

Standout Moment

• “He’s trying to make it so unpleasant, he’ll make it so awful of a place to live. ...Some people want to be king of the ashes. And that is Mamdani.” – Charlie Kirk ([12:35])

4. Policy Implications and Radical Machine-Building

[09:54–11:17]

• Kirsten exposes how far-left advisors and activists (e.g., those equating homeownership with “white supremacy”) are already reshaping city structures in anticipation of further collapse.
• Charlie highlights the broader risk of irreversible, system-level damage from radical governance.

Notable Commentary

• “Let Mamdani be an example… the damage that Mamdani and his apparatchiks can do in a city like New York… is incredibly difficult to roll that back once it’s instituted.” – Charlie Kirk ([14:05])

5. National Housing Market & The Gen Z Ownership Crisis

[19:56–22:47]

• Secretary Scott Turner outlines HUD and the Trump administration's policies to aid first-time homebuyers, restrict institutional investors, and prioritize American citizens over undocumented immigrants in housing.
• Discussion links immigration trends to housing affordability, particularly in high-growth states.

Data Point

• “Nearly 100% of the increase in rental demand in New York and California is because of illegal immigration.” – Secretary Turner ([23:06])

Policy Solutions

• Charlie’s Prescription: “Deport 20 million people, build 10 million homes. ...A permanent renting class in this country is the prerequisite... for radical politics that nobody wants to see.” ([19:56], [28:17])

6. Housing Supply, Market Forces & Generational Wealth

[26:24–31:31]

• Analysis of income trends, housing supply, mortgage rates, and government actions to close the gap between home prices and median income.
• Secretary Turner discusses bans on institutional home-buying and plans from the “one big beautiful bill”—the largest working family tax cut.
• Focus on the need for real, tangible economic improvement for young Americans and first-time buyers.

7. The Sunbelt Migration & Political Transformation

[13:27–14:27], [28:10–29:54]

• Panel compares the blue-state exodus to the hollowing out of urban cores, shifting national political dynamics toward the Sunbelt.
• Emphasizes that cities should not become so mismanaged that people must leave ancestral homes.
  • Quote: “People shouldn’t have to leave their homes... That shouldn’t be an America that we allow to happen.” – Charlie Kirk ([13:27])

8. Culture & Olympics Segment

[34:17–40:05] (brief summary due to focus on main themes)

• Side commentary on Winter Olympics medal counts, American figure skater Amber Glenn’s activism and performance, media coverage, and panelist reactions.
• Continuation of episode’s theme: the intersection of politics, media, and cultural institutions.

9. Breaking News: International Tensions

[41:00]

• Report on imminent US strike on Iran as assessed by Israeli emergency sources; panel exercises caution and awaits further details.

Standout Quotes & Timestamps

• Kirsten Fleming: “He is trying to force Kathy Hochul's hand to try and make her come up with the cash by taxing the rich. That's what this is.” ([03:19])
• Charlie Kirk: “It almost feels like he’s holding Kathy Hochul hostage.” ([05:06])
• Charlie Kirk: “Welcome to the warmth of collectivism.” ([06:28])
• Charlie Kirk: “Some people want to be the king of the ashes. And that is Mamdani.” ([12:35])
• Kirsten Fleming: “It is scary. It is very scary. ...people who can't just like pack a bag and buy a place in Florida. It's just not tenable.” ([08:28])
• Secretary Turner: “You see affordability going up, you see housing supply going up, and it is because we have secured our border.” ([24:25])
• Charlie Kirk: “A permanent renting class in this country is the prerequisite, is the leading ingredient for radical politics.” ([19:56])
• Charlie Kirk: “Deport 20 million people, build 10 million homes.” ([28:17])

Key Takeaways

• Fiscal Crisis in NYC: Mamdani’s administration is at a budgetary breaking point, with plans to raid city reserves and escalate taxes while refusing to cut spending—seen as a pretext to force state intervention or radicalize further.
• Impact on Average New Yorkers: Proposed property tax hikes threaten middle-class and immigrant homeowners across all five boroughs, not just the wealthy.
• Radical Politics Entrenchment: Ideologically driven activists are embedding themselves in city governance, setting up difficult-to-reverse systems and policies.
• Broader Political Consequences: Population flight from progressive states to the Sunbelt may permanently alter electoral politics.
• National Housing Affordability: HUD Secretary Turner outlines federal efforts to support first-time buyers, restrict housing access for undocumented immigrants, and counter both supply and demand drivers pushing up prices.
• Immigration’s Connection to Housing: Both panel and officials link increased rental demand and elevated prices in blue states directly to illegal immigration.
• Generational Stakes: Sustained high homebuying ages and price-income gaps pose a risk, fueling radical politics—a problem both national and local leaders are facing head-on.

For Further Listening

Listeners interested in the details of bureaucratic and activist mechanics in big cities, federal and state politics' interplay, and possible future trajectories for American housing and demographics will find this episode both informative and provocative.

Note:
All timestamps are in MM:SS format and correspond to the core content sections, skipping advertisements and non-content.