‘It’s wrong’: Nancy Pelosi criticizes Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed over Israel comments

WASHINGTON, DC: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed over their past statements on Israel, calling their positions wrong and saying they did not represent congressional Democrats. She made the remarks Thursday on the 'On Brand' podcast hosted by Donny Deutsch.

The exchange came days before the midterm elections, as Democrats continued to debate how far the party's progressive wing reflected its mainstream. Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Pelosi, Mamdani, and El-Sayed but did not immediately receive a response.

Deutsch presses Pelosi on antisemitism concerns

Deutsch, who is Jewish, asked Pelosi how he could reconcile his support for the Democratic Party with politicians whose statements he considered antisemitic.

"When you say Israel doesn't have the right to be a Jewish state, that's antisemitic, as far as I'm concerned with all that," Deutsch said.

"No, it's more than concerning," Pelosi responded.

"It's wrong. It's wrong. And it isn't a reflection of the Democrats in the Congress of the United States. This new person in Michigan, we'll see if he gets elected to the Congress.”

“But the mayor, bless his heart, I hope he succeeds as mayor, but I don't agree with some of the things he has said. But in terms of our people in the House of Representatives, if somebody says that, the other members disassociate themselves from it."

Earlier in the interview with Deutsch, Pelosi initially denied that anyone in the Democratic Party was antisemitic.

"The fact is that I really do not know of anybody there on our side who is engaged in antisemitism. That may be what it appears to be or what they're charged to be. But if they are, it's only a few. If there are, I think sometimes they say things that they shouldn't and can be interpreted that way," Pelosi said.

What Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed have said about Israel

Before he was elected New York City mayor, Mamdani repeatedly faced questions about whether Israel should be a Jewish state. In a June 28 interview with ABC News, Mamdani said he supported Israel as a state with equal rights but declined to endorse it as a Jewish state.

"I think any state that privileges one religion over the other is one that I can’t tell you I support, whether it be Israel or Saudi Arabia or anywhere else," Mamdani said.

El-Sayed has repeatedly declined to affirm whether Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state. During a May appearance with Jewish supporters, the candidate said he "struggled" to answer the question and suggested the idea of a Jewish state was inconsistent with the liberal values "we say we believe in here in the United States."

Pelosi also addressed how individual lawmakers' positions should be viewed in relation to the Democratic Party's broader stance.

"People represent their districts and we have to respect that. The job description, job title is representative, but that doesn't mean it has an impact on the consensus of the Democratic Party and [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries has been very clear on that," Pelosi said.