Daijiworld Media Network – New York

New York, Jul 11: In a fresh political flashpoint, billionaire hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman has launched a scathing attack on Zohran Mamdani, New York State Assembly member and potential mayoral candidate, by raking up controversial remarks made by his father, Mahmood Mamdani, in a 2004 book.

Ackman’s remarks came after an excerpt from Mahmood Mamdani’s book ‘Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror’ resurfaced online, sparking outrage for its unconventional take on suicide bombers. Quoting the viral passage, Ackman posted on social media, "The apple @ZohranKMamdani doesn’t fall far from the tree," implying that Zohran may share his father’s views.

The highlighted excerpt read:

"We need to recognize the suicide bomber, first and foremost, as a category of soldier... rather than stigmatized as a mark of barbarism."

While Mahmood Mamdani, a renowned academic and professor at Columbia University, made the statement in a broader context of analyzing modern political violence, the resurfacing of the quote has led to a storm of criticism online — especially with Zohran being a prominent progressive voice in New York politics.

In a past interview with Asia Society, Mahmood explained his views, stating that to truly understand terrorism, one must analyze the link between state and non-state violence rather than resorting to simple narratives of "barbarism" or "irrationality." He further noted that the desperation of youth, particularly in Palestine, stems from prolonged occupation and generational failures in finding a peaceful resolution.

“Even then, we need to recognize that the term suicide bomber is a misnomer... The suicide bomber is a category of soldier whose objective is to kill — even if he or she must die to kill,” he had said.

The incident has now taken a political turn, with Ackman using it as an opportunity to corner Zohran Mamdani ahead of a potentially heated election campaign season. While Zohran has not yet directly responded to the billionaire’s comments, his political allies have begun rallying in support, arguing that academic discourse by a family member should not be weaponized against a public servant.

This development marks yet another chapter in the growing culture war within American politics, where family histories and intellectual writings are increasingly drawn into public political battles.