Hassaan Chaudhary, a leading figure in New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition effort, is facing intense criticism after social media posts from over a decade ago resurfaced, revealing deeply offensive remarks about Jews, Israel, and the LGBT community.
As detailed by the New York Post, the posts date back to when Chaudhary was a teenager. In them, he used derogatory language referencing Jews, including employing "Jew" as a slur, and lauded Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who once referred to Israel as a malignancy. Chaudhary referred to Ahmadinejad as "fearless" while reposting the Iranian leader's hostile statements about Israel.
Several of Chaudhary’s posts targeted Israel directly, labeling the Jewish state a "barbaric nation" and "bloody country," while accusing it of perpetrating violence against Palestinians. He criticized media silence, writing that Israel was responsible for killing innocent people, and challenged coverage norms with hashtags like "#stupid media."
In December 2024, he reshared a provocative post on X regarding Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, suggesting the governor, who is Jewish, would condone violence against Palestinians.
In another instance from 2012, Chaudhary responded to a Pakistani journalist by invoking Nazi references and insulting language in Urdu, using a phrase implying that being Jewish was something to be ashamed of.
Chaudhary also expressed skepticism about gay rights in a tweet from the same year, calling a discussion on the subject "claptrap" and arguing that boundaries should be maintained.
Jewish leaders strongly condemned the posts. Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism and a former assemblyman, criticized the rhetoric as "Adolf Hitler language," adding, "It’s antisemitic. It’s a horror show." He blamed Mamdani’s leadership for creating an environment conducive to such views: "The fish stinks from the head. Mamdani sets the tone. It’s a hate-filled administration."
Rabbi Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran political strategist, also weighed in: "This advisor to the mayor is clearly, by his own words, a Jew hater. The only issue: it always begins with the Jews but never ends with the Jews. Who's next on the list?"
Chaudhary, who worked as Muslim outreach director during Mamdani's campaign, issued an apology, stating, "I apologize for my tweets, as they do not reflect my current views, or represent who I am today. 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."
A representative for Mamdani’s team condemned the posts and clarified Chaudhary's role, stating he was not the political director, as previously suggested, but was involved in religious outreach. The spokesperson added that the remarks were "reprehensible and in no way reflect the views of the Mayor-elect or this transition," noting that Mamdani had made his position clear both during the campaign and internally.
Despite the condemnation, there has been no announcement regarding any disciplinary action. Chaudhary has previously held roles as a senior community organizer for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and as a digital organizer with the Working Families Party.