Mamdani’s Jewish allies criticize use of ‘monsters’ to describe AIPAC

Lead

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has defended his use of the word "monsters" to describe the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a comment that has drawn criticism from some of his Jewish supporters who worry it echoes antisemitic tropes. The remarks, made at a rally for progressive candidates, have intensified a broader debate over AIPAC's role in American politics.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting from the Jerusalem Post (via the Jewish Telegraphic Agency) provides the most detailed account of the controversy. Two separate articles from the same outlet cover the story: one focusing on Mamdani's defense of his language, the other on the initial remarks. Both articles emphasize the criticism from Jewish leaders and the political context of the rally.

The first article, published June 23, 2026, quotes Rabbi Jill Jacobs of T'ruah, who called the language part of a "disturbing trend" of left-wing attacks on AIPAC. It also includes a reaction from Rabbi Misha Shulman of The New Shul in Brooklyn, a Mamdani supporter who expressed discomfort with the mayor's word choice.

The second article, from June 19, 2026, provides a fuller account of Mamdani's rally speech, including his accusation that AIPAC uses "millions in dark money" to influence elections and his reference to "genocide" in connection with Israel's actions in Gaza.

Key Claims

The central claim is that Mamdani called AIPAC "monsters" during a rally at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn on June 18, 2026. According to the Jerusalem Post's reporting, Mamdani said: "The monsters that we are up against, they take many different forms," before singling out AIPAC. He alleged the organization spends "millions in dark money" to elect pro-Israel candidates and described its goal as preserving power "so that they can turn us against one another."

When questioned about his language at a press conference on June 22, Mamdani said he was quoting Italian anti-fascist philosopher Antonio Gramsci, whose phrase "Now is the time of monsters" he cited at the start of his speech. "I used the term to describe all those who are preventing the birth of a new world," he said, adding that it referred to "the untenable nature of a status quo that is quite literally starving people in this city."

Rabbi Jill Jacobs criticized the remarks in a Substack post, writing that calling AIPAC and its backers "monsters" casts them "as less than human, rather than as human beings who are one's political opponents." Rabbi Misha Shulman told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency he was "taken aback" and called the comments "a little bit of a flag for me."

The rally was also headlined by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who according to the Jerusalem Post criticized AIPAC's influence on U.S. foreign policy. The rally aimed to boost progressive candidates including Jewish former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, State Assembly member Claire Valdez, and Darializa Avila Chevalier, ahead of New York's Democratic primaries.

AIPAC did not respond to a request for comment about Mamdani's remarks.

Perspectives

Supporters of Mamdani, such as Rabbi Shulman, while uncomfortable with the language, still support the mayor. Shulman's criticism is tempered by his overall support for Mamdani's politics.

Critics like Rabbi Jacobs see the "monsters" comment as part of a worrying pattern of dehumanizing rhetoric directed at AIPAC, which they argue crosses a line from political opposition to something more dangerous.

Mamdani himself frames his choice of words as a philosophical reference to Gramsci, intended to critique a broader status quo rather than specifically target Jewish organizations or individuals. His defense suggests the term was about systemic issues, not personal attacks.

AIPAC's perspective is not directly represented in the available reports, as the organization declined to comment. However, the Jerusalem Post's framing suggests that AIPAC has increasingly become a target of progressive criticism, which the article notes has also included acts of attempted violence—a context that may inform concerns about dehumanizing language.