Zohran Mamdani, the socialist who clinched the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor, drew criticism after he announced an extended trip to Uganda just months ahead of the general election.
In a video posted Sunday, Mamdani addressed his decision to travel overseas while on the campaign trail, delivering a tongue-in-cheek message to his critics. The 33-year-old state assemblyman said the trip was to celebrate his marriage with family and friends in Uganda, where he was born.
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Good morning! I'm in Uganda to visit family and friends.
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) July 20, 2025
But depending on your perspective, don't worry or I'm sorry: I'll be back by the end of the month.
See you soon, NYC. pic.twitter.com/fIOf5NcZqy
“Being a politician means listening, not just to your supporters, but your critics too,” Mamdani said in the video. “Some of these critics — especially on a certain website — have been giving me consistent advice: go back to Uganda. I hear you, and I agree. I’m going back to Uganda.”
Mamdani, who holds dual U.S.-Uganda citizenship, said he would return by the end of the month. He added that he was not abandoning his campaign and took aim at media backlash, offering mock tabloid headlines such as, “Uganda Miss Me?” and “He’s Kampala-etely Crazy.”
The overseas vacation comes as Mamdani has been campaigning to run the United States’s largest city amid recent crime and immigration concerns.
Mamdani has remained silent following the recent shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer in New York City, allegedly by a deported illegal immigrant. The suspect, Dominican national Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, reportedly opened fire on the officer, who survived.
Critics also point to Mamdani’s past comments supporting the “abolition of private property,” a stance aligned with left-wing ideology, despite ethics filings revealing he owns four acres of land in Uganda valued up to $250,000. His family’s background — his father is a Columbia professor tied to an anti-Israel organization, and his mother is a prominent filmmaker who owns a luxury New York City loft — has further fueled scrutiny of his political messaging.
https://t.co/6HOXmBc5j8 pic.twitter.com/RBCu1NxzAK
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) July 17, 2025
The White House recently weighed in on Mamdani’s rise after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt mispronounced his name during a briefing, referring to him as “Zamdani.”
Mamdani responded in a viral TikTok video, spelling out his name while dancing to Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.”
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Leavitt criticized Mamdani as a “known Communist” whose election would be a “disaster for New York and this country.”
Mamdani maintains that his campaign is fully on track and that the trip will not interfere with voter outreach or campaign strategy.