Mamdani advisor’s secret Cuba diary exposes anti-US plot, luxe trip

By David Spector
Published Oct. 11, 2026, 5:13 a.m. ET

A friend and advisor to socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with the president of Cuba during a luxe trip to the communist nation — where they conspired to subvert US foreign policy, according to a since-deleted travel diary obtained by The Post.

Danny Valdez, who hosted a fundraiser for Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in 2025, traveled to Cuba with a delegation from the DSA International Committee from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26, 2023, according to the Nov. 9, 2023 blog post, entitled “The Cuba Diaries.”

The delegation met with President Miguel Diaz-Canel on the third day of the trip with the purpose of partnering to end the US embargo, in place since 1962, three years after Fidel Castro imposed a communist dictatorship on the island, he recalled.

DSA national co-chair Ashik Siddique and Valdez are seen posing in a group photo with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.Obtained by the NY Post

“It was genuinely a big accomplishment for our delegation that this meeting took place. It was a sign that the Cuban government took our organization seriously and saw us as potential partners in the work of ending the US blockade,” Valdez wrote.

During the meeting, the Cuban president whined about the US-imposed blockade.

“No other country has to operate under such conditions. Vietnam and China are not under blockade, and are able to develop their approach to socialism,” Diaz-Canel said, according to Valdez.

Mamdani Presser after ICE Shooting on Marble Hill NYC

 

Zohran Mamdani Condemns Israel’s Gaza Genocide, Says New York Taxes Fund War Crimes

Gaza Genocideupdated 31m ago2 min read

New York mayor says U.S. tax money funds war crimes in Gaza On the third anniversary of Oct. 7, he highlighted U.S. complicity in Gaza genocide

Image: Al-Markaz al-Filastini lil-Iʿlam

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Pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian crowds converge on Union Square for Oct. 7 vigil

Giulia Heyward/Gothamist

 By Giulia Heyward

Published Oct 7, 2026 at 7:33 p.m. ET


Union Square was on high alert Wednesday night as demonstrators poured in ahead of a vigil marking the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani was expected to attend.

Demonstrators waved Israeli and Palestinian flags and held signs as dozens of police vehicles surrounded the area. Members of the NYPD’s counterterrorism unit were among the NYPD deployment around the park.

Laura Liben, a Jewish Upper West Side resident, said she arrived around 6:30 p.m. to participate in the vigil and complained about the pro-Palestinian demonstrators who’d gathered around.

“I feel like they kind of came and took over the whole thing,” Liben said. “I think if they had come maybe asking questions or starting a dialogue, but this feels really hostile.”

About 1,200 people were killed in the attacks and roughly 250 others were taken hostage. The ensuing war in Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to data provided by Gaza’s health ministry. Both the attacks and the war that followed remain a source of deep tension in the five boroughs and Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of New York, has faced accusations of antisemitism from his detractors for supporting Palestinians and accusing Israel of genocide.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mamdani denounced “every Israeli bomb dropped on ambulances waiting outside hospitals, every drone strike targeting a residential building or journalist, and every shipment of food aid turned away at a border crossing.”


The Anti-Defamation League’s New York/New Jersey office criticized Mamdani on Wednesday, saying “the grief and pain has not dulled in the three years since” the attacks.

“Mayor Mamdani had the opportunity to use this anniversary to mourn alongside his Jewish constituents,” the organization said on social media. “Instead he chose to use his considerable platform to level political charges against Israel, justifying the very violence he claims to condemn.”

City Councilmember Vickie Paladino from Queens also called Mamdani’s remarks “disgraceful.”

“He does this knowing that today leftist, Islamist and pro-Palestinian activist organizations — many of which he and his wife have aligned with — are openly celebrating the 10/7 attacks, in some of the most grotesque and disturbing actions we've ever seen in this country,” Paladino said.

New York has the largest Jewish population of any city in the world outside of Israel. The ADL has also criticized Mamdani over his administration’s recently released plan to combat hate crimes against Jewish New Yorkers, which did not adopt a formal definition of antisemitism.

Mamdani released the plan as reported antisemitic hate crimes continue to rise in the city. The NYPD said antisemitic hate crimes increased 9% during the first eight months of the year compared with the same period last year. Jewish New Yorkers were the targets of more than half of all confirmed hate crimes citywide during that period, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.


This is a developing story and will be updated.

Source

Gracie Mansion stakeout ahead of Trump, Mamdani meeting

Mayor Mamdani Joins U20 Conference Closing Sessions: Key Messages, RatifyCommunique, Reflections

Mayor Mamdani Joins U20 Conference Closing Sessions: Key Messages, Ratify Communique, Reflections

NYC Mayor's Office

4:00 PM | Mayors Convey Key Messages +  Ratify Communique 

Mayors deliver closing remarks reflecting the shared commitments of the summit, followed by the formal ratification of the New York Communiqué.

4:30 PM | Reflections from national governments + UN representatives 

Remarks by representatives from National governments and international institutions. 

5:15 PM | Closing Remarks

September 19, 2026

Mayor Mamdani Welcomes Mayors from Around the World to New York City for 2026 Urban 20 Summit

September 19, 2026

What you should know

New York City and Los Angeles co-chair three-day summit on housing, climate and migration, kicking off Climate Week NYC


NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today welcomed mayors from across the United States and around the world to New York City for the 2026 Urban 20 (U20) Mayors Summit, where city leaders will work together on practical solutions to rising housing costs, the climate crisis and migration.

New York City and Los Angeles, led by Mayor Mamdani and Mayor Karen Bass, are co-chairs of this year’s U20. Convened by C40 Cities and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the summit runs from September 19 through 21 and is expected to bring together 25 mayors, along with deputy mayors and senior city leaders representing 34 cities across the G20 countries.

Leaders from Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle will join counterparts from cities across Canada, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. Over three days, mayors will share the steps their cities are taking to build more affordable housing, protect tenants, lower energy costs, support immigrants, create good jobs and protect residents from extreme heat, flooding and other climate change impacts.

“New York City was built by people who came here from every corner of the world, so there is no better place for the world’s mayors to meet,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This weekend, we are bringing over 25 mayors together to confront the challenges and opportunities before all of us. Working families across the globe are being squeezed by rents that rise faster than paychecks, energy bills that spike every summer and heat waves that can turn an uncomfortable apartment into a dangerous one. New York City is proud to co-chair the Urban 20 and stand with mayors who will not leave those families on their own, no matter where they were born. At a time of division and retreat, our cities are choosing cooperation.”

“From accelerating the building of affordable housing to bold climate action to standing strong with immigrant communities in the face of attacks from the federal government, cities are on the frontlines—and where solutions are put into action,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “Los Angeles is proud to co-chair the 2026 Urban 20 with New York City and bring mayors from around the world together to tackle the challenges our communities face every day. By sharing what works and learning from one another, we can move faster and deliver more for the people we serve. Together, Los Angeles and New York City are making sure the voices of cities are heard—not only in our communities, but at the global table where decisions that shape our collective future are made.”

Mamdani, Letitia James announce new immigrant protections

Mamdani, Letitia James announce new immigrant protections

Fox News

Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hold a press conference to announce new legal action aimed at protecting immigrant families.

Zohran Mamdani speaks at a 9/11 memorial service

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 Zohran Mamdani speaks at a 9/11 memorial service

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church; National Shrine’s Interfaith 9/11 Memorial Service. (Credit: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church).

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P.S.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
130 Liberty Street,
Manhattan, New York City, New York

Mamdani gives 200 left-wing social media influencers access to City Hall encrypted group chat

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani arrives for a press conference at Staten Island University Hospital Community Park on April 27, 2026 in New York City. 

(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)


OAN Staff Lillian Mann
4:20 PM – Thursday, September 3, 2026

Democratic Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has reportedly granted roughly 200 social media influencers special access to City Hall news and videos through Signal — a messaging app, according to a new report.

Signal includes a disappearing-messages setting that automatically deletes texts after a set time. Because it is unknown if Mayor Mamdani’s (D-N.Y.) group uses this feature, critics are questioning whether the administration is following city rules about keeping public records.

According to an August report from Columbia Journalism Review, influencers receive city information through an encrypted Signal chat named “NYC Creators Announcements.”

The Signal chat reportedly grew out of Creators4Zohran — a group that backed Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral campaign, making him the first socialist mayor of United States’ most populous city.

When asked whether the use of Signal could potentially violate city laws, Mamdani insisted that his office will “strive to fully comply with all legal requirements.”

NYC first lady Rama Duwaji jets off to Europe for posh Islamic calligraphy retreat

By Adry Torres and David Spector

Published Aug. 29, 2026, 9:00 a.m. ET

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife Rama Duwaji is once again jetting off to Europe for a posh, Islamic- centered women’s retreat, The Post has learned.

Gotham’s controversial first lady will be resuming her role as the “artist-in-residence” with The Women Sanctuary for the third time this year when they host the “Journey through Islamic Calligraphy” retreat in Porto, Portugal.

The spiritual wellness gathering is set to take place in two sessions from Sept. 16-21 and 25-30, according to the group’s website.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is joined by his wife, First Lady Rama Duwaji, following a news conference at Gracie Mansion on Jan. 12.James Keivom

“Some days, we will explore the rich history of Islam in Portugal, uncovering the traces of a remarkable legacy still woven into the landscape. On others, we will gather for a marvelous illustration workshop with our artist-in-residence, Rama Duwaji, celebrating this heritage,” the retreat’s website says.

Other afternoons will be dedicated to picnics, poolside hangouts, walks and chats.

“We believe these unhurried moments are just as much a part of the retreat as the program itself; a space for suhbah, spiritual reflection, and presence, where hearts can soften, souls can be nourished, and remembrance can arise naturally amidst the beauty of creation,” The Women Sanctuary boasts.

The retreat, priced from $4,300 for a shared room to $5,260 for a private room with a private bathroom, will take place at the manor house in the tranquil countryside of Arcos de Valdevez.

“Surrounded by nature, the venue provides a truly restorative environment, featuring an exceptional heated outdoor pool, a heated indoor pool, and beautifully landscaped gardens,” says the Women Sanctuary website.

Critics scoffed at Duwaji’s latest high-flying jaunt.

Socialism didn’t die with the Soviets — Mamdani just brought it to City Hall

By Kelly Sloan
Published August 29, 2026 7:00am ET

Watching Mayor Zohran Mamdani carry on in New York, I am reminded of Lord Percy of Newcastle’s ominous definition 75 years ago of “social democracy”: “The phrase,” he wrote, “does not imply that economic activity should not continue to be based on private property; it implies only that, as a matter of legal rights, such property should be perpetually insecure.”

One would be hard-pressed to find a more apt descriptor of the current situation in New York, three-quarters of a century after Lord Percy wrote those words intended as a warning to anyone who found themselves tempted by the intoxicating effects of socialism. Indeed, the rhetoric of Mamdani and his acolytes, who are now in the process of gobbling up Democratic primary nominations around the country, suggests their intentions for private property go further than that.

One can hope that it is merely hyperbolic license on their part, but such is the bombast emanating from the faction that is ascendant within the ranks of the Democratic Party. Conventional wisdom holds that this is a political anomaly, representing an extremist fringe that is too publicly unappetizing to warrant serious consideration. And yet they are winning primary elections in the middle of the country, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) name is being invoked unironically as a possible presidential candidate, and Mamdani is the mayor of America’s largest city. So, it’s probably best not to ignore the threat.

Source

Controversial Hindu nationalist leader spurs protests, Mamdani denunciation ahead of NYC speech

By Associated Press
Published Aug. 28, 2026, 12:32 p.m. ET

Mamdani opposes NYC event featuring RSS leader Mohan Bhagwat



https://youtube.com/shorts/qU_8bNjLbCQ?si=Rn2NdVeAOhBuoa6n

An event Saturday in New York City, featuring the head of a Hindu nationalist group instrumental in putting India’s ruling party in power, is being met with protests, a denunciation from the city’s mayor and a call for sanctions from a US panel on religious freedom.

Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, widely considered the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is scheduled to address about 5,000 members of Indian American groups at the city’s iconic Madison Square Garden arena.

Titled “Universal Oneness Celebration,” the event is being organized by American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat speaks during the India International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) event on Aug. 6, 2026, in Mumbai, India.AFP via Getty Images

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks at the podium during the Caribbean Heritage Reception on Aug. 28, 2026, at Gracie Mansion in Manhattan.Kevin C. Downs for NY Post

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been a polarizing figure in that country and the diaspora, emerged from the group known as RSS, a right-wing paramilitary group founded a century ago.

Critics have accused the group of promoting the political ideology of Hindutva, which means “the essence of being Hindu,” and seeks to define Indian culture and national identity in terms of Hindu values.

The party and its branches have also been accused of fostering a culture of intolerance and committing human rights violations such as mob lynchings, targeting minority places of worship and razing Muslim-owned properties with bulldozers.

This week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly declared his opposition to the event, labeling RSS ideology as exclusionary and contrary to the pluralistic views of the city.

Mayor Mamdani Promised To TAX The Rich — Then Something TERRIBLE Happened

Mamdani FREAKS OUT After His Family's MANSIONS On Three Continents Get EXPOSED

 

How Zohran Mamdani & Socialist Democrats are Taking Over America

 How Zohran Mamdani & Socialist Democrats are Taking Over America

The Washington Times

Jul 24, 2026

The Washington Times reporter Susan Ferrechio takes a look at everything democratic socialists are doing to take over American politics, from Zohran Mamdani's NYC's rent freezes to the luxury tax proposed by Bernie Sanders. Can a movement built on protest actually govern? With the biggest DSA bloc in Congress history taking office this January, the stakes have never been higher.

:00 Intro :35 How large is the DSA bloc likely to grow? 

1:15 What does socialist governance look like ? 

2:01 Is the "tax the rich strategy working? 

3:36 How have socialist policies impact public safety? 

4:07 How are Republicans responding?

4:46 What does this mean for the Democratic party? 

Read more at https://www.washingtontimes.com

America's Islamic Earthquake: Wave of Muslims Hope to Ride 'Mamdani Effect' Into Congress

Mamdani forgot he’s just a mayor. The State Department had to remind him

Story by Anthony Maranise, Washington Examiner

Mamdani forgot he’s just a mayor. The State Department had to remind him

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration recently scheduled a meeting between his commissioner of international affairs and Iran’s U.N. ambassador. The meeting was only stopped after the State Department intervened and ordered it canceled.

Mamdani says he didn’t know about it. That is not a defense. It is an admission that either his office is freelancing foreign policy or he sees nothing wrong with it.

He is a city mayor. Nothing more. The fact that he leads the largest city in the country does not grant him authority to conduct diplomacy with a regime that actively works against U.S. interests. Foreign policy belongs to the federal government. Period.

Local officials exist to handle local problems: crime, transit, housing, and basic services. They do not get to insert themselves into matters of national security and international relations. When a mayor’s team attempts back-channel contact with Iran’s representative at the United Nations, it is not bold leadership. It is arrogant overreach.

This episode fits a pattern. Mamdani ran on a platform that treated the mayoralty as a platform for progressive ideology rather than competent local governance. Now, his administration has demonstrated the same confusion of roles in practice. While City Hall dabbles in foreign affairs that it has no business touching, New Yorkers continue to deal with failing infrastructure, strained public safety resources, and a city government that too often prioritizes symbolism over results.

Cynthia Nixon’s "wife" gets $200k city gig after ‘Sex and the City’ star’s Mamdani endorsement

Cynthia Nixon’s wife gets $200k city gig after ‘Sex and the City’ star’s Mamdani endorsement

Story by David Spector

The Mamdani patronage machine has hired the wife of lefty actress Cynthia Nixon as an educrat making $203,500 a year, The Post has learned.

Christine Marinoni is working as the chief of mass engagement at the Family and Community Empowerment (FACE) office at the Department of Education, according to a well-placed DOE source.

The DOE source said this was Mamdani’s reward to the former “Sex and the City” star after she endorsed him during the mayoral primary.

Cynthia Nixon’s wife Christine Marinoni is working at the DOE, The Post has learned. Getty Images

Nixon held a fundraiser for Mamdani in March 2025 and raised over $200,000 for the socialist mayoral upstart.

“So thrilled to host a fundraiser for the incredible Zohran Mamdani whose clear message & ambitious plan for a more affordable NYC is exactly what we need right now,” she posted on Instagram at the time beside a picture of her and Mamdani standing together grinning ear to ear.

The hire is already drawing sharp comparisons to New York’s most notorious political machine.

“It’s painfully fitting that inside Tweed Courthouse, a DSA machine reminiscent of Tammany Hall is handing taxpayer-funded jobs to the well-connected spouses of multimillionaire celebrities,” another source, a City Hall insider, said.

When reached for comment, Nixon denied that her wife was rehired by the DOE for political reasons, and declined to speak further. Marinoni could not be reached for comment.

Marinoni previously worked as special assistant to the chancellor during the de Blasio administration and made $131,708, according to public data.

Mamdani-backed socialist primary winner founded group whose goal is to ‘eradicate' Western civilization

Darializa Avila Chevalier helped launch Columbia University Apartheid Divest, which said it wants to end the West

 By Peter D'Abrosca Fox News

Published June 25, 2026 9:50am EDT


The socialist backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who won Tuesday night’s primary election in New York’s 13th Congressional District founded a group in college that called for the total destruction of the West.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, 32, a Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress who made career out of "community organizing," wrote in her biography for an opinion piece in independent news outlet The Electronic Intifada that she "helped launch the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign Columbia University Apartheid Divest."

"We are Westerners fighting for the total eradication of Western civilization," the group said in a now-deleted 2024 Instagram post.

In May 2024, eight years after she graduated from Columbia, Chevalier was back on campus advocating alongside the group she founded, known as CUAD, wearing a keffiyeh and a t-shirt emblazoned with the group's name.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, Democratic candidate for Congress in New York's 13th Congressional District, speaks with a voter in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan on June 14, 2026, in New York, N.Y. (Shuran Huang/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Avila Chevalier was interviewed by the Associated Press at the school's infamous encampment against Israel that year, which was later broken up by police.

Only months after that, CUAD, caused a firestorm when it reportedly posted its goal of eradicating Western Civilization.