Critics Say Zohran Mamdani Is Antisemitic He Says He S Politico

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 28, 2025, 1:47 PM

critics say zohran mamdani is antisemitic he says he s politico

A new report by the Anti-Defamation League says at least 20 percent of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition appointees have documented ties to anti-Zionist activist groups or have publicly promoted rhetoric widely... At least four appointees were found to have ties to Louis Farrakhan or the Nation of Islam, including praise posted online or attendance at related events. A new report by the Anti-Defamation League says at least 20 percent of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition appointees have documented ties to anti-Zionist activist groups or have publicly promoted rhetoric widely... The ADL said it reviewed more than 400 volunteers named to Mamdani’s transition committees and identified dozens with connections to organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and other... According to the report, several appointees publicly endorsed what they described as Palestinian “resistance,” including posts made immediately after Hamas’s October 7 massacre. One appointee shared content calling such resistance “justified” the day after the attack.

The ADL also flagged social media posts by multiple appointees describing Zionism as racism or a genocidal ideology. In one case, an appointee shared content asserting that Zionists are worse than Nazis and claiming that “Zionists are never Jews.” JTA — He was elected to represent Astoria, Queens, in New York’s state Assembly and just won the race to helm New York City. But Zohran Mamdani has called the Palestinian cause “central to my identity,” both in and out of politics. Mamdani consistently and proudly associates with the pro-Palestinian movement in high-profile settings across New York City. Shortly after delivering a stunning upset in June’s mayoral primary, for instance, he took the stage with Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian protest leader who was detained by the Trump administration, at comedian Ramy Youssef’s...

So it’s no surprise that as Mamdani celebrates his Tuesday victory and prepares to take office on January 1, 2026, as mayor of New York — the city with the largest Jewish population in... Below is a round-up of what Mamdani has said on a range of Israel- and Jewish-related topics in a variety of interviews that have made headlines. As Mamdani said at a May town hall for the UJA-Federation, one of the city’s largest Jewish groups, he supports the BDS movement, which lobbies for an economic, cultural and academic boycott of Israel. Israel and its advocates have fought a decades-long battle to marginalize the movement, which its critics say seeks the end of Israel as a Jewish state. It’s now official: New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, having toppled disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the establishment pick, in a wild primary that has already had seismic effects throughout the party.

A 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, he will go up against the Republican nominee, Curtis Silwa, a scandal-ridden Mayor Eric Adams, and, potentially, Cuomo again in November, looking to become the first Muslim, first Indian-American, and... Mamdani’s momentous campaign has provided a promising template for progressive candidates focused on kitchen-table issues. Initially an underdog with little name recognition, he built a powerful ground game of grassroots volunteers who knocked on over a million doors — and was a near-constant presence in the streets of the... The enthusiasm for his messaging on making New York more affordable for all by freezing rent hikes, building affordable housing, strengthening social services, eliminating bus fares, and creating city-owned grocery stores helped drive a... Naturally, Mamdani’s success has been met with bruising attacks, some from the centrist segment of his own party, others from right-wingers who paint him as a dangerous far-left radical. Once he had eclipsed Cuomo, it was inevitable that Donald Trump would go after him, and the president spared no time smearing and threatening the upstart candidate.

By now, the waters have been thoroughly muddied with misinformation about Mamdani, much of it characterized by Islamophobic hate. Below, we debunk some of the most viral and persistent lies so far. This is among the more flagrantly false claims about Mamdani, floated on Tuesday by the president himself. “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally,” Trump said at a press conference with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, adding, “You know, we’re going to look at everything.” The comments seemed to echo a call last week from Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) to denaturalize and deport Mamdani, whom he gave the racist nickname “little Muhammad” in a post on X.

Mamdani was born in Uganda to Indian parents and lived for a short time in South Africa before his family moved to New York in 1998, when he was seven years old. He was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2018. While it’s true that Trump’s Justice Department is moving aggressively to strip citizenship from naturalized immigrants — there are some 25 million living in the country — and the administration even wants to block... The media and internet are buzzing after Zohran Mamdani's Democratic primary win in the race for New York City mayor, but he has also faced allegations of Islamist extremism and antisemitism. DW fact checks.

Following his sensational victory in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary this week, social media has been flooded with claims about Zohran Mamdani — the 33-year-old Democratic socialist who is now odds-on to... Mamdani campaigned heavily on issues around affordability in one of the most expensive cities in the world, promising free public transport and subsidized groceries funded by increased taxation on higher earners. But many social media reactions have focused on his personal profile as a Ugandan-born Muslim of Indian heritage who has been outspoken in his criticism of the Israeli government's policies in the Middle East,... DW Fact check takes a look at two of the most viral claims made against him. December 12, 2025 / 5:31 PM EST / CBS New York New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani says he won't change his positions on Israel, despite threats of opposition from leaders of the city's Jewish community.

Mamdani has steadfastly refused to recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and no amount of cajoling by the head of the New York Board of Rabbis has changed his mind. He made it clear Friday during an interview for CBS News New York's "The Point with Marcia Kramer." Mamdani, who won the election with the support of many who believe Israel committed genocide in Gaza, publicly refused once again to change his stance on Israel, which has roiled the Jewish community. Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani prepares before the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary Debate in June. Photo by Vincent Alban/Pool/AFP via Getty Images If the specter of antisemitism loomed over Tuesday’s mayoral primary in New York City, Zohran Mamdani’s resounding victory in what many expected to be a closer contest suggested the line of attack — based...

Observers of the race attributed failure of antisemitism allegations to sink Mamdani’s campaign to a variety of factors, from his disciplined focus on affordability in a city where the cost of living is skyrocketing,... For Mamdani’s Jewish supporters, his victory over former governor Andrew Cuomo and nine other opponents was validation that the allegations of antisemitism were nothing more than bad faith smears. “A lot of moneyed interests tried to conjure up a big, bad image of a Muslim man who hates Jews,” said Sophie Ellman-Golan, a spokesperson for Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, a local... “And that image is not compatible with the person Zohran actually is.”

Critics Say Zohran Mamdani Is Antisemitic He Says He S Politico

People Also Search

A New Report By The Anti-Defamation League Says At Least

The ADL Also Flagged Social Media Posts By Multiple Appointees

So It’s No Surprise That As Mamdani Celebrates His Tuesday

A 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, He Will Go Up Against The

By Now, The Waters Have Been Thoroughly Muddied With Misinformation