NYC Mayoral Hopeful Zohran Mamdani Under Fire Over Father’s Hitler-Lincoln Claims

New York City’s mayoral race took a sharp turn into controversy as frontrunner Zohran Mamdani faces scrutiny over his father’s provocative claims. During a 2022 Asia Society panel, Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia University professor, argued that Adolf Hitler drew inspiration for the Holocaust from Abraham Lincoln’s policies during the Civil War. “Lincoln generalized the solution of reservations, herding American Indians into separate territories,” the elder Mamdani said, suggesting this model inspired Nazi genocide and the Nuremberg Laws, which he claimed mirrored American laws.

Zohran, a self-described socialist, has been open about his privileged upbringing, shaped by frequent political discussions with his parents—an Oscar-nominated filmmaker mother and academic father. Yet, the resurfacing of his father’s remarks, including equating Allied and Nazi goals during World War II, has sparked debate about how these views might influence the candidate’s perspective. “The Nazi political project was shared by the Allies,” Mahmood Mamdani stated, alleging both sought to create “pure” nations through ethnic cleansing.

The younger Mamdani’s own radical positions have also drawn attention. In a 2021 Young Democratic Socialists of America speech, he urged seizing the means of production, while a Gravel Institute video showed him advocating for communal living over private housing. “We need to move toward the full de-commodification of housing,” he said, proposing shared facilities to replace luxury condos.

As Mamdani’s campaign gains traction, critics question whether his upbringing and his father’s controversial views signal a governance style too extreme for New York City. The candidate’s vision, paired with his father’s bold historical parallels, keeps this race under a microscope.