Investor Kevin O’Leary has a soft spot for a good marketing strategy, even if it comes from a politician whose policies he despises. This weekend, he tipped his hat to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-N.Y.), calling him a social media savant who’s mastered the art of getting attention without spending a dime.

O’Leary Praises Mamdani’s Social Media Strategy

On Sunday, O’Leary took to X to applaud Mamdani’s knack for turning provocative political ideas into viral gold.

“Mamdani is a genius at social media,” O’Leary wrote. He added, “Every outrageous proposal generates headlines, millions of views, and new eyeballs without him having to pay for the attention.”

O’Leary was quick to clarify that his praise was about the communication strategy, not the politics. “Whatever you think of his politics, I have to give credit where it’s due,” he wrote.

Mamdani’s Media Strategy

In a NewsNation interview, O’Leary expanded on that thought, noting that Mamdani is getting “global headlines on every outrageous proposal” and “dominating social media and the media.”

He even shared a personal anecdote: he met Mamdani’s social media director at the Marty Supreme premiere in New York and “practically begged her” to come work for him. “She’s so damn good at what she does in reducing customer acquisition costs,” O’Leary said.

O’Leary argued that Mamdani “acquires new eyeballs for free every day” thanks to the buzz generated by his controversial stances. “There isn’t a single politician that’s nailing social media the way he is,” he said, urging other candidates to study Mamdani’s digital playbook ahead of the midterms.

Mamdani’s Pied-à-Terre Tax Proposal

This isn’t just theoretical. Last month, Mamdani announced the city had started notifying owners of luxury second homes valued over $5 million about his proposed pied-à-terre tax. The revenue, he said, would support parks, libraries, and schools.

Cuban Praised Mamdani’s Social Media

O’Leary isn’t the only billionaire impressed. Earlier, Mark Cuban praised Mamdani’s social media game after the mayor’s office dropped a creative video promoting a rent freeze for roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments.

“Social media is an important skill. He nails it,” Cuban said, though he questioned whether the policy would actually work. Cuban’s comments came after the New York City Rent Guidelines Board voted 7-1 to freeze rent increases on one- and two-year leases for those apartments.

O’Leary Slams Mamdani’s Tax and Grocery Plans

But don’t mistake the praise for endorsement. O’Leary has been vocal in his criticism of Mamdani’s 30% grocery discount plan and proposed tax hikes, arguing they could raise costs for taxpayers and push wealthy New Yorkers to lower-tax states like Florida.

He even joked that he expects to see Mamdani in Miami within 12 to 18 months, where he’d hand him a “Real Estate Agent of the Year” award for driving New Yorkers out of the state.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.