Alabama's Tuberville launches anti-Muslim attacks at NYC Mayor Mamdani

Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, is the first Muslim mayor of New York City. Some congressional Republicans have backed the rhetoric.

NEW YORK — Alabama U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville launched anti-Muslim attacks against New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as some fellow congressional Republicans endorse similar rhetoric while GOP leaders remain mum.

Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, is the first Muslim mayor of New York City.

In a March 12 X post, Tuberville, a Republican former college football coach, responded, “The enemy is inside the gates,” to a right-wing account that showed Mamdani celebrating Iftar and an image of the Twin Towers burning during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York. The post by the popular End Wokeness X account, which frequently posts white supremacist conspiracies, said, “Less than 25 years apart,” comparing the first Muslim mayor breaking fast during Ramadan with the terrorist attack.

Mamdani responded on X, “Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers.”

When Mamdani took office Jan. 1 using a Quran, Tuberville also said, "The enemy is inside the gates." Tuberville’s latest post is pinned on his government social media account, and he has since reaffirmed his views in subsequent posts. A spokesperson for Tuberville didn’t respond to an email request for comment.