Mamdani Sparks Backlash After Calling AIPAC a 'Monster' in Speech

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew sharp criticism over the weekend after attacking AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby in the United States, during a public speech. He accused the group of trying to inflame divisions among Americans and called it a “monster.”

In his remarks, Mamdani said that for AIPAC, “the only thing scarier than letting democracy run its course is ending Netanyahu’s ‘genocide’ and wars.” He also claimed the organization spends “millions in dark money” to preserve its power so it can turn Americans against one another. He then added, in a line linking the group to the U.S. economy, that “there is no need to fear monsters.”

The comments were delivered at a rally that also featured Senator Bernie Sanders, the Jewish progressive lawmaker who is seen as one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent critics of Israel. Sanders also spoke about AIPAC at the event, saying, “The American people understand that a large part of our terrible foreign policy is influenced by AIPAC funding.”

Israel remains a central issue in many U.S. midterm election races, and AIPAC, which once enjoyed broad support from politicians in both parties, has faced growing criticism in recent years. Many candidates have distanced themselves from the group and even attacked opponents who received its backing. The backlash has also reportedly fueled real-world violence, including a recently foiled terror plot against the White House in which the alleged plotters were said to have targeted lawmakers who had received AIPAC support.