Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley took a swipe at Zohran Mamdani over his guidance on reducing electricity use during a heat wave, calling it "Welcome to socialism."

Mamdani's Heat Wave Message

On Wednesday, Mamdani posted on X urging New Yorkers to cut back on electricity during extreme heat. He suggested residents "set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you're not using, and unplug what you can." He added that the city was "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." Mamdani said, "A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let's ease demand — and get through the heat — together."

Haley Calls Mamdani's Energy Message 'Socialism'

Haley responded on X by sharing the post and writing, "Welcome to socialism."

A heat wave is expected to begin Wednesday and continue into the holiday weekend, prompting extreme heat warnings as temperatures climb into the 90s and potentially reach 100 degrees in Central Park for the first time since 2012, NBC NewYork reported. Forecasters warned that the combination of heat and humidity could be dangerous.

Heat Wave Triggers Power Emergency in US

On Tuesday, the Trump administration declared a power emergency as a major heat wave threatened millions across the U.S., with PJM Interconnection and the Department of Energy authorizing extra electricity generation to protect grid reliability through July 3. The decision came as triple-digit temperatures driven by a "heat dome" strained power systems across states including New York and Michigan.

Economist Robert Reich said the extreme heat placed more than 200 million Americans under advisories and warned that blue-collar workers faced the highest risk due to limited protection in outdoor and industrial jobs.

Separately, President Donald Trump called on oil companies to lower gasoline prices in line with falling crude costs. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said fuel costs remained high due to refinery limits, seasonal demand, higher state taxes and global supply disruptions, making immediate price relief unlikely.