Mamdani Transition Insider Under Fire for Antisemitic Tirades, Praising Ahmadinejad

A senior figure on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition team is facing backlash after a trove of decade-old social media posts surfaced showing him attacking Jews and Israel and praising terrorists.

Hassaan Chaudhary, who lists himself on LinkedIn as the newly named political director for Mamdani’s transition and inaugural team, repeatedly used the word “Jew” as an insult and openly praised former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — the man who once declared Israel “a cancer which will be eliminated soon.”

After news of the tweets broke, Chaudhary has deactivated his LinkedIn and X profiles.

Chaudhary, who served as Mamdani’s campaign director of Muslim engagement, also labeled Israel a “bloody country” and a “barbaric nation” in old posts dating back to when he was 18.

A spokesperson for Mamdani’s transition told the NY Post that Chaudhary is not the political director, but rather a Muslim outreach director — and condemned the remarks.

The controversy flared again after Chaudhary reshared a post in December 2024 targeting Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — a Democrat and a Jew — over the killing of a Gazan toddler.

“If Luigi [Mangione] had shot a Gazan toddler instead, Josh Shapiro would have given him a medal,” the post read.

In another resurfaced post from February 9, 2012, Chaudhary responded to Pakistani journalist Najam Sethi with:
“Hitler..why dont you face our Pakistani people? Your daughter works at WSJ [the Wall Street Journal].”

He then added: “oh forgot that Jew hoga tera baap.”

Chaudhary also cheered on Iran’s former leader, writing:
“This banda [person] is fearless RT ‘@murtazasolangi President Ahmedinejad has declared Israel as cancer which will be eliminated very soon.’”

His posts repeatedly railed against Israel:
“There is a barbaric nation who’s killing indigents and innocent Palestinians called ISRAEL. TALK about it. #stupid media.”

In another message, he blasted the Jewish state as a “bloody country” for opposing a pro-Palestinian UN resolution.

Facing criticism, Chaudhary issued a statement to The Post:
“I apologize for my tweets, as they do not reflect my current views, or represent who I am today. Those comments from over a decade ago are not in line with how I see the world, and I look back at that rhetoric and mindset with deep regret.”

Jewish activists were not convinced.

“This is Adolf Hitler language. It’s antisemitic. It’s a horror show,” said former Assemblyman Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism.

Hikind said Mamdani’s worldview is the root of the problem:
“The fish stinks from the head. Mamdani sets the tone. It’s a hate-filled administration.”

A spokesperson for Mamdani’s transition team condemned Chaudhary’s words, saying:
“These comments from over a decade ago are reprehensible and in no way reflect the views of the Mayor-elect or this transition. The mayor elect has made this clear internally and consistently during the campaign and transition.”

Chaudhary has not been removed from his role.

Before joining Mamdani’s team, he worked as a senior community organizer for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and a digital organizer for the far-left Working Families Party.