what did sid rosenberg say about mamdani

Sid Rosenberg called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani an “America hating, Jew hating, Radical Islam cockroach” and a “jihadist,” in a social media post criticizing President Trump for engaging with Mamdani. He later apologized after intense backlash from political leaders and advocacy groups.

What exactly did Sid Rosenberg say about Mamdani?

In a post on X, Rosenberg referred to Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an “America hating, Jew hating, Radical Islam cockroach.” He also labeled Mamdani a “jihadist” while urging President Donald Trump to stop “complimenting and giving credibility” to the mayor.

Rosenberg framed his attack as a warning to Trump over the president’s increasingly cordial relationship with Mamdani after their meetings at the White House. The language echoed historically dehumanizing rhetoric that has targeted religious minorities, including Jews and Muslims.

Why did this become a big story?

The comments sparked immediate condemnation from top New York Democrats, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who denounced the remarks as hateful and unacceptable. Advocacy groups and community leaders also criticized the “cockroach” slur as Islamophobic and dehumanizing.

Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, responded by placing Rosenberg’s words in a broader history of Muslims in New York facing dehumanizing language, including being called “animals” and “insects.” He said such remarks are “painfully familiar” to him as a Muslim New Yorker and someone born in East Africa.

How did Mamdani respond?

At a press conference, Mamdani said Muslims in the city have long dealt with powerful figures dehumanizing them, including being called “cockroach” and “jihadist.” He described the language as difficult to hear but emphasized that “no amount of racism” would change how he governs.

He also said he had “far more urgent work” than engaging with someone who “trades in outrage” and fears a more inclusive city where every New Yorker can call it home. In interviews and coverage, he tied the incident to ongoing Islamophobia and hate speech in public discourse.

Did Sid Rosenberg apologize?

After the backlash, Rosenberg issued an on-air apology for calling Mamdani a “radical Islam cockroach.” He acknowledged that his language was wrong and walked back the wording, though he maintained his political disagreements with the mayor.

At the same time, he also doubled down in at least one subsequent interview, angrily questioning Mamdani’s criticism and accusing him of being a “phony and a fraud” upset about being called an “insect.” This mix of apology and defiance kept the controversy in the news cycle for days.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.