New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing criticism from conservatives after condemning the U.S. and Israeli military operation that resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Saturday, as the joint strike by the United States and Israel was unfolding, Mamdani posted a message on X criticizing the Trump administration’s decision. The post has been viewed roughly 20 million times.
“Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression,” Mamdani wrote.
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“Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change.”
Mamdani also addressed Iranian residents in New York City, saying, “You are part of the fabric of this city — you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders. You will be safe here.”
Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 28, 2026
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The mayor’s comments drew immediate responses from several Republican officials and commentators on social media, who argued his remarks appeared sympathetic to Iran’s leadership.
“Comrade Mayor is rooting for the Ayatollah,” GOP Sen. Ted Cruz posted on X. “They can chant together.”
Comrade Mayor is rooting for the Ayatollah.
They can chant together. https://t.co/0wi77XMsk8
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 28, 2026
Fox News host Brian Kilmeade also criticized Mamdani’s position.
“Do u say anything pro American ?” Kilmeade posted on X. “do u know any Iranians – ? they hate @fr_Khamenei they celebrate his death, you should be celebrating his death ! hes killed thousands of American’s and just killed 30k Iranians, did u even say a word about that? You are an embarrassment !! Please quit.”
Do u say anything pro American ? do u know any Iranians – ? they hate @fr_Khamenei they celebrate his death, you should be celebrating his death ! hes killed thousands of American’s and just killed 30k Iranians, did u even say a word about that? You are an embarrassment !!… https://t.co/aLzIJXEjjV
— Brian Kilmeade (@kilmeade) February 28, 2026
Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad questioned Mamdani’s remarks in a separate post.
“I don’t feel safe in New York listening to someone like you, Mamdani, who sympathizes with the regime that killed more than 30,000 unarmed Iranians in less than 24 hours,” Alinejad wrote.
“We Iranians do not allow you to lecture us about war while you had nothing to say when the Islamic Republic shot schoolgirls and blinded more than 10,000 innocent people in the streets. You were busy celebrating the hijab while women of my beloved country Iran were jailed and raped by Islamic Security forces for removing it.”
“And NOW you find your voice to defend the regime? No. I will not let you claim the moral high ground. The people of Iran want to be free. Where were you when they needed solidarity?”
To you, Zohran Mamdani! You stayed quiet when we have faced massacre, when Islamic Republic assassins were sent here in New York to kill us, stay quiet now!
STOP lecturing us Iranians about peace.
I don’t feel safe in New York listening to someone like you, Mamdani, who… https://t.co/Mj94FmZIdm
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) February 28, 2026
Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman also weighed in.
“How is it that you can’t differentiate between good and evil?” Ackman posted on X. “Why is this so hard for you?”
So let me get this straight. You support the Khamanei regime that killed 38,000+ protesters and maimed hundreds of thousands more. A regime that has repeatedly called for Death to America and has killed thousands of our servicemen and citizens. One that has taken away women’s… https://t.co/HzhmulbKx2
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) February 28, 2026
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., criticized the mayor’s involvement in foreign policy commentary.
“It takes a particular kind of audacity, or ignorance, for a city mayor to appoint himself the conscience of American foreign policy while his constituents step over garbage on their way to work,” Mace posted on X. “History will not remember his bravery. It will not remember him at all.”
It takes a particular kind of audacity, or ignorance, for a city mayor to appoint himself the conscience of American foreign policy while his constituents step over garbage on their way to work. History will not remember his bravery. It will not remember him at all. https://t.co/qHsoBotR9m
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) February 28, 2026
New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino said Iranian residents in the city supported the strike.
“Iranian New Yorkers are thrilled today and see right through you,” Paladino posted on X.
Iranian New Yorkers are thrilled today and see right through you.
— Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (@VickieforNYC) February 28, 2026
Councilwoman Inna Vernikov also commented on the international response to the operation.
“When Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, UAE, Bahrain all support today’s operation eliminating world’s #1 sponsor of terror, but New York City’s Mayor @ZohranMamdani is shilling for Iran,” Vernikov posted on X.
When Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, UAE, Bahrain all support today’s operation eliminating world’s #1 sponsor of terror, but New York City’s Mayor @ZohranKMamdani is shilling for Iran. https://t.co/icJ5ss2nn7
— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) March 1, 2026
Shortly after Mamdani’s initial post, President Trump and Israeli officials announced that the operation resulted in Khamenei’s death.
Israeli leaders confirmed that Khamenei’s compound and offices in downtown Tehran were reduced to rubble early Saturday in a targeted strike.
Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Iran program, commented on Khamenei’s tenure.
“Khamenei was the contemporary Middle East’s longest-serving autocrat. He did not get to be that way by being a gambler.
Khamenei was an ideologue, but one who ruthlessly pursued the preservation and protection of his ideology, often taking two steps forward and one step back,” Ben Taleblu told Fox News Digital.
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