It’s just a matter of time until he caves to the far left…
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) still can’t bring himself to back Zohran Mamdani — the self-proclaimed Democratic socialist who captured his party’s nomination for New York City mayor.
Pressed by ABC’s Jonathan Karl on Sunday, Jeffries dodged yet again, saying he looked forward to “continuing” conversations with Mamdani but offering no commitment.
With early voting days away, his silence speaks volumes.
“You still haven’t endorsed Zohran Mamdani, have you?” Karl asked.
“I have not,” Jeffries said flatly.
When pressed on why, Jeffries insisted he’d talk with Mamdani “in advance of early voting,” promising he’d “have more to say” then — a familiar refrain he’s repeated for months.
“Well, we’ve had very good conversations over the last few months,” he said vaguely, calling them “forward-looking” and “community-based,” but never explaining what’s holding him back.
Over the summer, Jeffries used the same line — that he needed “a conversation” first — before adding that Mamdani needed to “clarify” his stance on Israel.
“Globalizing the Intifada, by way of example, is not an acceptable phrasing,” Jeffries said. “He’s going to have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward.”
Jeffries, whose Brooklyn district is 11 percent Jewish, made clear his concerns about Mamdani’s support for the BDS movement and his shocking claim that he’d arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York City.
Watch the clip below:
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tells @JonKarl that he has not endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate in the New York City mayoral race, but says he is looking forward to “continuing” conversations.
Read more: https://t.co/wHsSsY4AJk pic.twitter.com/hlxOyFmicq
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 19, 2025
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