Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy intensified his sharp criticism of Zohran Mamdani, Democrat mayoral nominee for New York City, on Monday. The criticism came after Mamdani posted a video on social media announcing a personal trip to Uganda to celebrate his wedding. This comes just weeks after Mamdani had said he wouldn’t travel abroad if elected.
Ramaswamy’s fresh attack on Mamdani over Uganda video
In the video, Mamdani says he is going to Uganda with his wife to celebrate with friends and family. He also mocked some online critics who had tweeted asking him to “go back to Africa”, by saying he was taking their advice seriously.
Mamdani used humor throughout the video, joking that politicians should listen to their critics too, and since some people keep asking him to return to Uganda, he was doing just that.
He also made fun of how the New York Post might cover his trip, suggesting a few dramatic and pun-filled headlines they could use — such as “Uganda Miss Me,” “He’s Kampala-etely Crazy,” and “Zo-Running Away?”
The video blends sarcasm, personal celebration, and a pointed response to online hate, all of which have drawn fresh fire from Ramaswamy, who has consistently accused Mamdani of being unfit to lead New York City.
While sharing the video, Vivek Ramaswamy commented that the real issue with Mamdani wasn’t his “ethnicity”, but his “socialist worldview & economic agenda”. He added that focusing on Mamdani’s ethnicity only helps the other side avoid talking about their harmful policies. According to Ramaswamy, the video is a clear example of this.
“We shouldn’t fall into the left’s trap: when you make his heritage the issue, the other side wins because they no longer have to defend their destructive policies. This video is Exhibit A,” Ramaswamy said in his post on X.
Ramaswamy vs Mamdani
A few days ago, Ramaswamy had criticised Mamdani’s “radical left” policies. He said that if Mamdani becomes mayor, New York City could lose its identity. Ramaswamy, who is running for governor of Ohio in 2026, said cities like New York are damaging the American spirit. He promoted Ohio as a better place where the “American dream” could be revived.
Ramaswamy also attacked Mamdani’s socialist beliefs and his repeated criticism of billionaires. Earlier this week, a large digital billboard appeared in New York’s Times Square urging people to “flee” the influence of the “radical socialist” Mamdani and “move to Ohio.” The billboard was put up by “VPAC or Vivek Super PAC – Victors, not Victims,” a political group supporting Ramaswamy’s campaign in Ohio.
Ramaswamy also wrote an opinion piece in The New York Post, asking people not to attack Mamdani for his Ugandan-Indian or Muslim roots. Instead, he said, the focus should be on Mamdani’s anti-capitalist ideas.