Overview

• Shaun Maguire has remained defiant after his July 4 X post labeled Zohran Mamdani as promoting an “Islamist agenda” and criticized his culture as dishonest.
• Nearly 600 founders signed an open letter by July 7 urging Sequoia Capital to condemn Maguire’s remarks, apologize to Mamdani and Muslim entrepreneurs, and investigate his conduct.
• Maguire doubled down with a 28-minute video and follow-up tweets defending his use of “Islamist” as a political ideology and refusing to retract his comments.
• On July 9, hundreds of supporters circulated a rival open letter backing Maguire, escalating pressure on Sequoia to either defend its partner or denounce his statements.
• Sequoia Capital has declined to comment while both sides press the firm for a public response and the adoption of a zero-tolerance hate-speech policy by its July 14 deadline.