JPMorgan CEO Slams Democrats as “Idiots” Amid Party’s Far-Left Shift in New York
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon didn’t mince words Thursday in criticizing the Democratic Party, calling longtime friends within the party “idiots” who “do not understand how the real world works” and who possess “little brains.”
Speaking at a foreign-ministry event in Dublin, Ireland, Dimon described his frustration with the party’s policymaking. “I have a lot of friends who are Democrats, and they’re idiots. I always say they have big hearts and little brains,” Dimon said. “They do not understand how the real world works. Almost every single policy rolled out failed.”
The remarks drew attention from financial commentators, with Fox Business anchor David Asman noting the historical resonance. “Kind of reminds you of what Winston Churchill said long ago: ‘If you’re not a socialist when you’re young, you have no heart. If you’re not a conservative when you are old, you’ve got no brain,’” Asman observed.
This latest critique follows a string of sharp comments by Dimon aimed at Democratic leadership. During a visit to a Chase branch destroyed in the recent Palisades fire, Dimon took aim at California’s far-left leadership, criticizing excessive regulatory measures. “I’d change the name of Red Tape to Blue Tape because it’s the Democrats who seem to want more and more regulations,” he said at the time. He continued, “We need good regulations. We need good food. We need a good financial system. It’s just not more, more and more. And you see it in everything, permitting and licensing. And there are lessons to be learned. And whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, you should be saying, I want an efficient government.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party in New York appears to be trending further left, as progressive and socialist factions grow in influence. Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Ugandan-born democratic socialist assemblyman from Queens, sent shockwaves through local politics with his decisive June primary victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates in the New York City Democratic mayoral race. Mamdani’s win positions him as a potential city mayor and underscores the party’s shift toward a more progressive, far-left platform.
In the wake of Mamdani’s victory, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) emphasized that the movement is “bigger than one person, election, city, or organization.” The organization urged supporters to engage locally, writing, “We encourage all people inspired by the Zohran campaign to join their local DSA or YDSA chapter and get involved so we can continue to fight alongside Zohran and DSA elected officials across the country to create the future we all deserve.”
Reports indicate that DSA leaders are now contemplating primary challenges against established House Democrats representing New York City districts, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Reps. Ritchie Torres, Jerry Nadler, Dan Goldman, and Yvette Clarke. Jeffries, who succeeded former Speaker Nancy Pelosi two years ago, has drawn criticism from far-left activists for being a moderate and part of the party establishment.
“His leadership has left a vacuum that organizations like DSA are filling. I think that is more important right now,” Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair of New York City’s DSA chapter, told CNN. Democratic socialist State Sen. Jabari Brisport, representing areas of Brooklyn that overlap with Jeffries’ congressional district, told Fox News that Jeffries is “rapidly growing out of touch with an insurgent and growing progressive base within his own district that he should pay more attention to.”
Jeffries’ senior political advisor, Democratic strategist Andre Richardson, framed the tension within the party as part of a broader struggle against Trump-era policies. “Leader Hakeem Jeffries is focused on taking back the House from the MAGA extremists who just ripped health care away from millions of Americans,” Richardson said, signaling that any left-wing primary challenges would face strong opposition from the Democratic establishment.
Dimon’s blunt critique of the Democratic Party, coupled with rising influence of far-left figures like Mamdani and the DSA, highlights a growing tension within the party between centrist leadership and an energized progressive base—a dynamic that may shape elections in New York and beyond for years to come.