Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has launched a blistering attack on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, branding the incoming leader a “communist” and a “security threat” while questioning his ability to govern the Big Apple.
Giuliani, 80, unleashed his tirade during an interview with The New York Post on Monday, taking aim at Mamdani’s political ideology and past associations. The outspoken former mayor, who served two terms and rose to national prominence after 9/11, accused the proud democratic socialist of being “right out of Karl Marx.”
The ex-mayor’s remarks grew even more pointed when he delivered what he described as a piece of advice; a savage six-word warning to the man set to succeed him in City Hall: “Step down and do something else.”
Giuliani Accuses Mamdani of “Supporting Extremism”
Giuliani’s comments followed controversy over a photo showing Mamdani alongside Imam Suraj Wahhaj, a Brooklyn cleric who once called for a “gun-free jihad” in New York City.
The image, taken during Mamdani’s campaign, reignited criticism over his ties to progressive and religious figures viewed by some as controversial.
Credit: Alex Kent / Getty Images.
“The imam he was with is a strong supporter of terrorism,” Giuliani said. “I’m not worried that he’s a Muslim. I’m worried that he supports Muslim extremism.”
Giuliani – once hailed as “America’s Mayor" and who was recently pardoned by Trump for his alleged involvement in overturning the 2020 election – claimed that Mamdani poses a risk to national security.
“You think the federal government will give this guy a security clearance?” he asked. “Zohran Mamdani is a serious security threat to the United States of America. He’s a communist and a sympathizer for Muslim terrorism.”
The former mayor also targeted Mamdani’s outspoken criticism of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of antisemitism.
“Israel seems like an obsession with him,” Giuliani said, pointing to Mamdani’s support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. “The BDS movement wants to wipe out the State of Israel. Mamdani is one of the best-known antisemites in the country.”
Credit: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images.
Political Firestorm Ahead
Giuliani’s remarks highlight the deep political divide between New York’s new progressive leadership and its more conservative past. Mamdani, the son of Ugandan-Indian immigrants, has built his reputation as a rising voice on the left, advocating for social equity and criminal justice reform – positions that stand in stark contrast to Giuliani’s law-and-order legacy.
Before ending his remarks, Giuliani offered one final piece of advice to the incoming mayor: “Love America.”
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has not yet responded to Giuliani’s blistering comments.