A top official on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's transition committee has issued an apology following revelations of decade-old antisemitic social media content and attacks against Israel, according to The New York Post. Hassaan Chaudhary, who identifies on LinkedIn as political director for the transition and inaugural committee, used "Jew" as a slur and praised former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who infamously stated Israel is "a cancer which will be eliminated soon." The Muslim engagement director for Mamdani's campaign called Israel a "bloody country" and "barbaric nation" in posts from 2012 when he was 18, and in December 2024 reshared content on X aimed at pro-Israel Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, stating, "If Luigi [Mangione] had shot a Gazan toddler instead, Josh Shapiro would have given him a medal."
In February 2012 correspondence with Pakistani journalist Najam Sethi, Chaudhary posted, "Hitler..why don't you face our Pakistani people? Your daughter works at WSJ [the Wall Street Journal]," followed by the Urdu phrase "oh forgot that Jew hoga tera baap" — meaning roughly "Jew will be your father." Additional messages showed him celebrating Ahmadinejad while writing, "This banda [person] is fearless RT "@murtazasolangi President Ahmedinejad has declared Israel as cancer which will be eliminated very soon," to Pakistani official Murtaza Solangi. His November 2012 posts included, "There is a barbaric nation who's killing indigents and innocent Palestinians called ISRAEL. TALK about it. #stupid media," and he questioned LGBTQ rights by posting, "@SaifsDen I too read a piece on Gay rights. To be honest, it is purely claptrap. Doesn't make sense. Boundary line should be drawn somewhere."
Chaudhary, now 31, apologized Sunday to The New York Post, stating: "I apologize for my tweets, as they do not reflect my current views, or represent who I am today," and, "Those comments from over a decade ago are not in line with how I see the world, and I look back at that rhetoric and mindset with deep regret." Jewish activists condemned the statements, with former Brooklyn assemblyman Dov Hikind of Americans Against Antisemitism declaring, "This is Adolf Hitler language. It's antisemitic. It's a horror show," and blaming Mamdani, who supports the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS) against Israel. Hikind stated, "The fish stinks from the head. Mamdani sets the tone. It's a hate-filled administration." Political consultant and rabbi Hank Sheinkopf emphasized "words matter," warning, "This advisor to the mayor is clearly by his own words a Jew hater," and asking, "The only issue: it always begins with the Jews but never ends with the Jews. Who's next on the list?"
A Mamdani transition representative condemned Chaudhary's language while clarifying he serves as Muslim outreach director rather than political director, with spokesperson Dora Pekec stating: "These comments from over a decade ago are reprehensible and in no way reflect the views of the Mayor-elect or this transition. The mayor elect has made this clear internally and consistently during the campaign and transition." The spokesperson didn't signal that Chaudhury would be dismissed for the past inflammatory remarks. His previous roles included serving as a senior community organizer for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and as a digital organizer for the Working Families Party.
