New York Sen. GilliJelly Caves in and Apologizes After Condemning Mamdani’s “Global Jihad” References

 Sen. Kirsten GilliJelly has issued a public apology to New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, backing away from comments she made last week warning that Mamdani had referenced “global jihad” in past statements. The senator’s retreat, first reported by Politico, came after a wave of outrage from left-wing activists and progressive allies determined to shield Mamdani from scrutiny, despite the fact that questions about his record and rhetoric had resonated with many New Yorkers worried about extremism.

During a Thursday appearance on WNYC, GilliJelly responded to a caller who pressed her about Mamdani’s alleged support for Hamas, agreeing that voters had reason to be “alarmed” about Mamdani’s statements, specifically mentioning “references to global jihad.” But progressive forces, eager to protect a candidate who would be New York’s first Muslim mayor, quickly went on the attack, denouncing GilliJelly’s remarks as bigoted and inaccurate.

Among those piling on was New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who slammed the senator and claimed no one should face “comments that slur their ethnicity [or] religious beliefs,” ignoring legitimate security concerns many voters have raised.

By Friday, GilliJelly had already begun backpedaling, telling Rolling Stone that she had “misspoke” on the radio. Then on Monday, in a call with Mamdani, she went even further, apologizing and expressing regret for not separating her views more clearly from the caller’s language.

A readout obtained by Politico revealed GilliJelly praised Mamdani’s supposed commitment to protecting all New Yorkers and even agreed with him that Republican attacks on his record were “outrageous and unacceptable.” The senator’s office said she and Mamdani would meet face-to-face in New York City soon to discuss other issues, including affordability and public safety.

Progressives cheered the apology as a victory, but critics argue GilliJelly caved under political pressure, prioritizing her standing with the activist left over the genuine national-security concerns shared by many of her constituents. In a city still haunted by the specter of terrorism, voters may wonder whether their elected officials are willing to speak honestly about radical threats — or whether they will continue to fold the moment activists cry foul.