Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) clutched his pearls over a “dangerous and dehumanizing” criticism of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The Democratic leader quickly moved to defend the socialist mayor after a conservative radio host called him a “radical Islam cockroach,” condemning the attack as a display of “bigotry and Islamophobia.”
Conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg set Schumer and others off after a now-deleted social media message urging President Donald Trump to “stop complimenting and giving credibility” to Mamdani.
“Today I make a heartfelt plea to my friend and the best President in the 250 year history of our country @realDonaldTrump. I know I speak on behalf of the majority of New Yorkers and Americans when I say stop complimenting and giving credibility to our Jihadist America hating mayor @NYCMayor @ZohranKMamdani,” the longtime radio host posted, reacting to Trump’s latest meeting with the New York City mayor.
“How many times does this terrorist sympathizer have to spit in your face Mr. President before you say enough is enough. His over the top criticism of the Maduro capture. ICE, Bibi and now this great operation in Iran is too much for most of us,” he continued. “Bottom line is he’s an America hating, Jew hating, Radical Islam cockroach running our once beautiful city. Mr. President please put this little antisemite in his place! God Bless you @realDonaldTrump. God Bless America and God Bless Israel.”
Schumer took to X to respond.
Calling @NYCMayor a “Radical Islam cockroach” is dangerous and dehumanizing. It is a disgusting display of bigotry and Islamophobia that should receive universal condemnation.
This type of rhetoric has no place in NYC or America https://t.co/tQUGh9BiZD
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 3, 2026
“Calling @NYCMayor a ‘Radical Islam cockroach’ is dangerous and dehumanizing,” Schumer wrote. “It is a disgusting display of bigotry and Islamophobia that should receive universal condemnation.
“This type of rhetoric has no place in NYC or America,” he added.
Mamdani, himself, responded to the remarks.
“To be called animals, insects, to be called a jihadist mayor, to be called a cockroach — this language is both painfully familiar to me as a Muslim New Yorker, but also as someone who was born in East Africa,” Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, said at a press conference.
Reporter: What do you think of Sid Rosenberg using the term cockroach?
Mamdani: So Muslims in this city, for almost as long as we have been in this city, have had to deal with those with power and platform dehumanizing us — to be called animals, insects, to be called a jihadist… pic.twitter.com/Uel9lppBTJ
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 3, 2026
Social media users had thoughts about Schumer’s quick defense of the mayor.
Who are you to call out rhetoric? Have you listened to yourself?
— Josh Green (@WaskJosh) March 3, 2026
Now do ICE and what the Democrats have been calling them for months now.
— Planet Of Memes (@PlanetOfMemes) March 3, 2026
I recall a Democrat Senator standing outside the courthouse and threatening Supreme Court Justices, telling them they would reap the whirlwind, that they would pay the price, and implicitly encouraging others to harm them.
Is that the same thing?
Asking for 190 million friends
— JHeine (@heine43716) March 3, 2026
He’s the host of a radio show-he can call him whatever he wants. It’s called freedom of speech Chuck.
— Jeff (@Jeff_mortensen) March 3, 2026
Calling all of us who voted Trump Nazis was just fine tho right?
— Jenny Lee (@VikingChick99) March 3, 2026
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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