Kirsten Gillibrand’s Islamophobic Rant Wasn’t a Gaffe. It Was a Political Attack.
On June 26, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand went on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show and did something that should disqualify her from public office: she used her platform to amplify racist, Islamophobic conspiracy theories about Zohran Mamdani — New York City’s Democratic nominee for mayor and one of the few Muslim elected officials in the country.
A caller named “Gabe” phoned in to spew baseless lies, accusing Mamdani of supporting Hamas, wanting to “target synagogues,” making “revisionist Holocaust” statements, and endorsing “global jihad.” These are not just false — they’re dangerous. And instead of pushing back, Gillibrand embraced them. She amplified every slander. She even went further, claiming Mamdani supports “global jihad” — something he has never said, endorsed, or hinted at.
When Brian Lehrer calmly corrected her — reminding the senator there is no evidence Mamdani supports Hamas or violent jihad — Gillibrand doubled down. Her response? “It doesn’t matter what he actually believes.” According to Gillibrand, because Mamdani uses the word “Intifada” — a call for resistance — it feels threatening to some, and therefore, it’s fair game to accuse him of extremism.
This isn’t just cowardly. It’s racist fearmongering.
This Is an AIPAC Playbook Attack
Let’s be clear about what this is: an AIPAC-backed smear campaign to destroy a bold, unapologetic leader who stands with Palestinians and everyday New Yorkers. Zohran Mamdani won his race the hard way — by knocking on 1.6 million doors, mobilizing 50,000 volunteers, and running on a platform of rent freezes, free public transit, taxing billionaires, and human rights for all people. He beat Andrew Cuomo and the entire New York Democratic machine because voters rejected AIPAC’s money and Netanyahu’s lies.
And that terrified the establishment.
So now they’re trying to destroy him — not with debate, not with policy, but with racist smears. The same playbook used by far-right Republicans is now being carried out by a sitting Democratic senator from the state with the largest Muslim population in the country.
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles said Mamdani should be “denaturalized and deported.” Rep. Nancy Mace tied him to 9/11. And now Kirsten Gillibrand is joining in — painting Mamdani as a terrorist sympathizer, despite no evidence and no basis in fact.
This Is Bigger Than One Comment — It’s a Warning
Gillibrand’s office later claimed she “misspoke.” But that’s not what happened. She didn’t fumble her words. She confidently repeated conspiracy theories that have been used to justify surveillance, harassment, and violence against Muslim Americans for decades.
And she did it on live radio, with full knowledge of the stakes.
Let’s not forget: this kind of rhetoric gets people hurt. It creates a climate where Muslims — especially Muslim politicians — are treated as threats. It sends a message that organizing for justice, for Palestinian freedom, for basic human rights, makes you a target. That if you challenge the pro-Israel political machine, your safety and your career are fair game.
That is not democracy. That is authoritarianism wrapped in a liberal disguise.
Gillibrand Must Resign
This cannot go unanswered. A sitting Democratic senator publicly and falsely accused a fellow Democrat of supporting terrorism — in the middle of one of the most dangerous political climates for Muslims in decades. She needs to go.
This isn’t just about one politician — it’s about drawing a line. If we allow this kind of hate to go unchecked, we normalize it. We signal to every young Muslim organizer, every anti-war activist, every person of conscience, that there is no place for them in politics unless they silence themselves.
But we know better. Mamdani’s victory proved that when we speak truth, organize together, and refuse to be silenced, we can beat the most powerful, monied forces in American politics.
Now we need to defend that victory — and make it clear: racist attacks on Muslim politicians will not be tolerated.
