New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has selected anti-Israel celebrities Ms Rachel and Cynthia Nixon for his inaugural committee that will advise his transition team, the New York Post reported.
“I’m honored to be joined by some of the most creative and experienced minds in the city as we build an inauguration that is truly by and for New Yorkers,” Mamdani stated.
Ms Rachel, the host of a popular YouTube show for small children, has become controversial for wading into politics by opposing Israel's response to the October 7 massacre. The StopAntisemitism movement accused her of parroting Hamas propaganda and ignoring the plight of Jewish children who were murdered or abducted during the massacre.
In July, following criticism of her for ignoring Hamas's crimes while only condemning Israel, Ms Rachel published a statement in which she said: “I condemn Hamas, I condemn October 7, I condemn taking precious Israeli children and civilians hostage, I condemn killing precious Israeli children and civilians, I condemn war crimes, human rights violations, children's rights violations.”
Cynthia Nixon, who starred in the 'Sex and the City' TV show, has also been highly critical of Israel and supported the BDS movement. In November 2023, one month after the massacre and while Hamas continued to hold about 250 hostages, she went on a hunger strike for Gaza. She has also criticized Israel far more than Hamas, though she did say in an appearance on The View in December 2023 that "what Hamas did was brutal and terror and unforgivable."
Both celebrities were nominated for StopAntisemitism's 'Antisemite of the year.' The group stated that Ms Rachel “has used her massive platform to spread Hamas-aligned propaganda,” and that Nixon was nominated for her “BDS activism.”
Mamdani's transition team has been plagued by scandals related to antisemitism. Last week, Catherine Almonte Da Costa, Mamdani's appointee as New York's director of appointments, was forced to resign after antisemitic social media posts made by her resurfaced, including posts referring to “Money hungry Jews."
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has issued a detailed report expressing concern over Mamdani's appointments after it found that at least 20 percent of the appointees have a documented history of engaging in antisemitic, anti-Zionist, or anti-Israel rhetoric, or have ties to organizations that promote such views.
Mamdani takes office on January 1, 2026.