Fact Check: Did Robert De Niro call out Zohran Mamdani over ‘second home wealth tax?’
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Following the introduction of the second home tax aimed at wealthy Americans in New York City, a rumor has been going viral, claiming that Hollywood actor Robert De Niro criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani for introducing this tax. Let us analyse the claim and fact-check the authenticity behind the rumor.
Claim: Robert De Niro opposed Zohran Mamdani's 'second home' tax
Mayor Mamdani announced on April 15 via video that his administration plans to introduce a pied-à-terre tax aimed at wealthy Americans who own luxury secondary homes in New York City, following which Robert De Niro allegedly accused Mamdani of being a liar.
According to the viral claim, "He lied to all of us," said De Niro. "He said he was going after billionaires. I'm not a billionaire. I'm not even close. I use that second home for income to help pay my bills, like a lot of New Yorkers. It's already too expensive to live here."
De Niro allegedly said Mamdani was supposed to make it better. "Instead, if you have a little nest egg, you're a criminal, and it just got worse."
Fact Check: The claim originated as a satire
The claim, however, is false, as De Niro never made the above-mentioned remarks. There are no official statement or reports that supports the claim.
A search on Google for the alleged remark yielded no results by any credible news media outlets, which would have been widely covered if true.
Moreover, the claim was first posted by a popular Facebook parody account called ‘America’s Last Line of Defense,’ which describes in its bio as ‘Nothing on this page is real.’
Hence, the claim originated as a satire.
Zohran Mamdani announces pied-a-terre tax
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visits employees at Citi Field prior to the game between the New York Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 09, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images)Taking to Instagram, Zohran Mamdani said, “Well, today we're taxing. I'm thrilled to announce we've secured a pied-a-tierre tax, the first in New York's history. This is an annual fee on luxury properties worth more than $5 million whose owners do not live full-time in the city."
“The pied-a-terre tax is specifically designed for the richest of the rich. Those who store their wealth in New York City real estate but who do not actually live there. But even so, they are able to reap the huge financial rewards of owning property there,” he said.
“And most of the time these units are sitting empty,” Mamdani said, adding that the tax will raise at least $500 million directly for the city. “It’ll help fund things like free child care, cleaner streets and safer neighbourhoods,” he said.
