Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., declined to comment Friday after being asked about a series of first-day executive actions by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani that sparked sharp criticism from Jewish groups worldwide.
On his first day in office, Mamdani rescinded several directives issued by former Mayor Eric Adams. Among them was Executive Order 61, which had expanded NYPD security for synagogues across the city, as well as the city’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Mamdani also lifted a restriction that prohibited boycotts of Israel.
“On his very first day as New York City mayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.
Schumer’s office did not respond to multiple inquiries seeking clarification on whether he supported Mamdani’s actions or what message they sent to Jewish communities in New York City.
The New York senator had previously avoided taking a public position on Mamdani even as it became clear the self-described socialist would secure the Democratic nomination for mayor. “We are continuing to talk,” Schumer said repeatedly when asked whether he would endorse Mamdani.
That silence persisted as Mamdani declined to explicitly denounce the phrase “Globalize the intifada,” language critics say promotes the dismantling of Israel. Mamdani’s stance at the time drew strong condemnation from pro-Israel advocates and raised concerns within Jewish communities.
Now that Mamdani has assumed office, supporters of Israel warn that the new mayor’s approach could have immediate consequences. Israel’s Consul General in New York, Ambassador Ofir Akunis, said the rescinded measures “pose an immediate threat to the safety of Jewish communities in New York City and could lead to an increase in violent antisemitic attacks throughout the city.”
Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States, has recently emphasized the need for unequivocal opposition to antisemitism, particularly following a spate of attacks targeting Jewish communities. After the deadly Bondi Beach shooting in mid-December that killed 15 people at a Jewish community event, Schumer said Jews had been singled out for violence.
“The Jewish people have been collectively demonized,” Schumer said at the time. “Our collective humanity demands we come together no matter our race, religion, or nationality and forcefully rebuke those forces. As I have warned repeatedly, antisemitism is a scourge around the world.”
