Overview

• Zohran Mamdani publicly recanted his 2020 tweets calling to defund the NYPD, labeling his earlier statements “out of step” with his current public safety vision.
• He pledged not to cut police funding, committed to keeping the department’s headcount flat, and said he would collaborate with officers rather than dismantle units.
• After returning from Uganda, Mamdani spent an hour with Officer Didarul Islam’s family in the Bronx, offering flowers and personal condolences.
• Rivals like Andrew Cuomo and conservative commentators have highlighted Mamdani’s past anti-police remarks to question his fitness to lead the city’s largest police force.
• A Data for Progress survey shows 78% of Democratic voters support his criticism of Israel and 63% back his pro-Palestinian agenda, demonstrating sustained appeal among younger and progressive electorates.