House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is raising concerns about the policy views of New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, specifically highlighting Mamdani’s unwillingness to denounce the slogan “globalize the intifada,” according to a report from The Hill.
During an appearance on ABC, Jeffries confirmed that he plans to meet with Mamdani and intends to discuss several of the Assemblyman’s positions. When asked about Mamdani’s lack of condemnation for Hamas and his defense of the term “globalize” as well as the full phrase “globalize the intifada,” Jeffries responded, “Globalizing the intifada, by way of example, is not an acceptable phrase and he is gonna have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward with respect to the Jewish communities.”
Jeffries stressed that any Democratic candidate hoping to lead New York City must take a firm stance on ensuring the safety of the city’s Jewish population. “Our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in antisemitism in the city of New York, which has been an unacceptable development.”
While Jeffries congratulated Mamdani—who identifies as a democratic socialist—on his primary victory in the Democratic mayoral race, he did not offer his endorsement. Instead, he said he wants a direct discussion with Mamdani about the assemblyman’s vision for governing the city.
Jeffries emphasized that one issue overrides all others in importance: the city’s safety. He said the next mayor must be fully committed to “the safety and well-being of all of the people.”
President Donald Trump weighed in on Mamdani’s candidacy by labeling him a “Communist Lunatic” in a social media post. Jeffries fired back by sharing the post and criticizing Trump’s rhetoric. “Stop lying about Assemblyman Mamdani. He is neither a communist nor a lunatic. And New York City doesn’t need to be saved by a wannabe King.”
Andrew Cuomo, the state’s former governor, was defeated by Mamdani in the ranked-choice primary by a ten-point margin. Sources say Cuomo is now weighing the possibility of launching an independent bid for mayor and could make an announcement later this week.
{Matzav.com}