Former U.S. President Donald Trump stirred controversy once again on Tuesday after claiming that any Jewish person voting for New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is a stupid person, reigniting criticism over his long history of remarks suggesting that Jewish Americans vote against their own interests.
Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self-professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person. Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform. The post quickly drew backlash from political leaders and Jewish advocacy groups, who accused the former president of inciting division and using inflammatory rhetoric for political gain.
Trump’s remarks came just a day after he urged New Yorkers to vote for former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is trailing Mamdani in the mayoral race. He went further on Monday, threatening to withhold federal funds from New York City if Mamdani wins Tuesday’s election.
Mamdani, a Muslim Democrat and sitting state assemblyman, has been a vocal critic of the Israeli government’s policies but has repeatedly rejected accusations of anti-Semitism, describing them as politically motivated. The candidate, whose campaign focuses on housing, public safety, and economic justice, has not yet responded publicly to Trump’s remarks.
This is not the first time Trump’s comments about Jewish Americans have sparked outrage. During his political career, he has frequently suggested that Jewish voters who support Democrats are disloyal to Israel. His latest post underscores his ongoing frustration with Jewish American voters’ overwhelming support for Democrats a dynamic that has persisted despite his administration’s strong pro-Israel stance.
According to a September 2024 Pew Research Center survey, Trump trailed then-Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by 32 percentage points among Jewish voters. Speaking at an Israeli-American summit before last year’s election, Trump claimed that if he lost, Israel will cease to exist within two years,” and blamed Jewish Americans who vote for the enemy.
Political analysts say Trump’s latest remarks could further alienate moderate voters in a city with one of the largest Jewish populations in the world, while simultaneously energizing his conservative base that views Mamdani’s criticism of Israel as unacceptable.
As the New York mayoral race tightens, Trump’s comments add a new layer of tension to an already polarized political landscape one where religious identity, foreign policy, and domestic politics continue to collide in unpredictable ways.