Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory has stirred strong emotions. Many critics have attacked him over his religion and background, including Will & Grace star Debra Messing, who’s now facing backlash for her comments.
Mamdani, 34, won the New York City mayoral race with 50.4% of the vote, defeating independent candidate Andrew Cuomo. Similar to the attacks Kamala Harris faced, Mamdani’s opponents have targeted his Muslim faith, drawing support from far-right circles and some celebrities.
Messing, a Brooklyn native, endorsed Cuomo on Instagram but also reposted a meme labeling Mamdani a “communist jihadist.” The post, originally from the account Persian Jewess, framed the race as a “battle for democracy.” Social media users quickly condemned Messing, calling her remarks racist and offensive.
In another post, she referred to Mamdani as “Osama Bin Mamdani,” further fueling outrage. Despite the smear campaign, Mamdani addressed the controversy in his victory speech:
“I am young, I am Muslim, I am a democratic socialist — and I refuse to apologize for any of this.”