Josh Gottheimer says Zohran Mamdani is ‘not a Democrat’ as socialists try to hijack party

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-NJ, said Wednesday he does not consider New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani a member of the Democratic Party, arguing that Mamdani and other democratic socialists are attempting to "hijack" the party away from its traditional values.

The New Jersey Democrat made the remarks while criticizing Mamdani’s defense of his pledge to honor an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to visit New York City this year.

Josh Gottheimer criticizes Zohran Mamdani over socialist views

"He's not a Democrat, he's socialist, and we know that the whole socialist movement is attempting to hijack the Democratic Party and many of their values are not our values," Gottheimer said on Fox News' 'America's Newsroom.'

Gottheimer also criticized Mamdani over his approach to foreign policy and accused him of applying a double standard when discussing international issues.

"Mayor Mamdani is obsessed with Israel, and the double standard is glaring. He's parroting Hamas talking points while his staff tries to meet with Iranians officials.

He should be a little less obsessed with foreign policy, and a little more obsessed with cleaning up his streets," Gottheimer wrote on X.

The congressman argued that Mamdani’s political positions were outside what he views as mainstream Democratic thinking.

"We know that he's against police and came out strong against law enforcement and [has] come out strongly against prisons in the United States, and they want to eliminate the United States Senate," he said.

"They have lots of views which are not in line with Democratic values. They're very anti-American, anti-Democratic, anti-capitalist, so asking me to understand a lot of their thinking, I can't."

Gottheimer questions Mamdani’s Netanyahu arrest warrant pledge

Gottheimer also criticized Mamdani’s promise to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Netanyahu visited New York.

Mamdani had made the pledge a key part of his campaign but later acknowledged that his administration did not have the legal authority to carry out the action. He instead urged the federal government to step in if Netanyahu visits the city.

Gottheimer argued Mamdani was focusing on issues outside the mayor’s responsibilities while overlooking concerns facing New Yorkers.

The congressman also accused Mamdani of applying inconsistent standards toward countries he criticizes.

"What shocks me about all of this is the double standard. We've got Iranian leadership that have been in New York. Obviously, Iran [is] a top enemy of the United States of America, the regime there [is] killing Americans, including soldiers... I don't understand. He doesn't go after them," Gottheimer said.

Zohran Mamdani defends ICC stance as a matter of principle

Mamdani’s office pointed Fox News Digital to comments the mayor made during an unrelated press conference Wednesday, where he said his position was not directed at any specific leader.

"I made very clear, as I have before, that my interest in executing that warrant is not specific to Benjamin Netanyahu, but to anyone who they put a warrant towards for war crimes and crimes against humanity," Mamdani said.

He argued that the stance reflected a broader standard of accountability under international law, saying he views both Hamas's Oct. 7 attack and Netanyahu's conduct of the war in Gaza as constituting war crimes.

Mamdani added that "especially at a time when there are those in Washington who are discussing measures to take apart the International Criminal Court," it was important to affirm "that there is, in fact, a rule of law" for offenses that "offend all of humanity."

The dispute highlighted divisions within the Democratic Party over the influence of socialist-aligned members and the direction of the party ahead of future elections.