Fact Check: Did Barbra Streisand say she is leaving New York over Mamdani’s wealth tax?

WASHINGTON, DC: Barbra Streisand has been pulled into a viral political claim involving New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his tax policies. Mamdani has faced continued debate over his plans to raise taxes on corporations and high-income New Yorkers as he works to address the city’s budget needs.

Amid the political debate, a post circulating on social media claims Streisand is leaving New York for Connecticut because of Mamdani’s proposed wealth tax. Let's fact-check the claim.

Claim: Barbra Streisand is allegedly leaving NY owing to Mamdani's proposed wealth tax

 An X post from @mcafeenew claimed that Barbra Streisand is leaving New York for Connecticut because of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wealth tax policies.

The post also attributed several comments to Streisand, including claims that she called Mamdani’s policies “communism” and regretted endorsing him.

The post began by claiming, “BARBRA STREISAND IS THE LATEST NEW YORKER TO PACK HER THINGS AND HEAD FOR CONNECTICUT OVER MAMDANI’S ‘WEALTH TAX!’” It then attributes another statement to Streisand, saying, “He said it was to make billionaires pay their fair share. I’m no billionaire.” The post also claimed that Streisand said staying in New York would cost her grandchildren millions and that she said, “This isn’t what I signed on for when I endorsed him.”

The post has received more than 30,000 views and sparked discussion about Mamdani’s tax policies. Some users criticized Streisand for allegedly supporting Mamdani before turning against his policies.

One commenter wrote that she had “enabled this” and criticized her for leaving instead of paying the taxes. Another user said Streisand had enough money to leave while other New Yorkers would remain responsible for the taxes.

Fact Check: False; the post is a satire

The claim is false. The post is fabricated satire, not a real event. The photo attached to the original post also carries a clear “NOTHING ON THIS PAGE IS REAL” watermark.

No credible news reports, statements from Streisand, real estate records, or other primary sources confirm that she is moving to Connecticut or made the statements attributed to her. Searches for these details also found no evidence supporting the claim.

Streisand has lived primarily in Malibu, California, for decades. She previously owned properties in New York, including an apartment at The Ardsley on Central Park West and a townhouse on the Upper East Side that she bought in 1970 and sold in 1972.

Those properties were sold decades ago and do not show that she currently lives in New York City or is leaving the city for Connecticut.

Mamdani has promoted tax proposals targeting luxury second homes and higher earners, including a proposed pied-à-terre tax. These policies have drawn criticism and sparked broader discussions about wealthy residents and businesses considering moving out of New York.

However, none of those reports involve Streisand moving to Connecticut or making the statements attributed to her.