New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) came under fire after a photo surfaced showing them making an unusual hand gesture during a rally in Queens on Sunday, October 26. The rally, attended by Senator Bernie Sanders, framed the upcoming election as a one-on-one battle against President Donald Trump and his administration, according to NBC News.
Mamdani posted a photo from the event showing himself and AOC making the gesture toward the crowd, captioning it, “Thank you, New York City. Now let’s win.”
Ted Cruz Questions Zohran Mamdani
However, the image quickly drew criticism. Senator Ted Cruz reposted the photo on social media, questioning the gesture and writing, “Are those Nazi salutes?” Elon Musk agreed with Ted Cruz, calling the gesture a Nazi salute.
“Sure looks like it.,” Musk said.
Sure looks like it 🤔 https://t.co/kURpnnSc49
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 27, 2025
Speaking at a packed tennis stadium in Queens, where thousands had gathered, Mamdani reflected on his rise within the Democratic Party. He recalled that at one point, he was polling at just 1%, tied with “someone else.”
“Now as we stand on the precipice of taking this city back from corrupt politicians and the billionaires that fund them, let our words ring out so loud tonight that Andrew Cuomo can hear them in his $8,000-a-month apartment,” Mamdani declared, referring to the former New York governor. He added that he hoped Cuomo’s “puppet master in the White House” would hear them too.
Zohran Mamdani Gives Passionate Speech
“We climbed in the polls faster than Andrew Cuomo could dial Donald Trump’s number,” he continued, adding with a smile, “People began to be able to pronounce my name.”
Cuomo, notably, is running as an independent candidate in the general election.
Mamdani used his speech to push for a new era of governance. He called for ending “the era of government that deems an issue too small or a crisis too big.”
“Because we need a government that is every bit as ambitious as our adversaries,” he said. “A government strong enough to refuse the realities we will not accept and forge the future.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Endorses Zohran Mamdani
He added, “No longer will we allow the Republican Party to be the one of ambition. No longer will we have to open a history book to read about Democrats leading withs change it.”
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a long-time progressive ally of Mamdani, took the stage to endorse him, saying that electing him would “send a loud message” to President Trump.
She argued that the opposition Mamdani faces in the election “mirrors what we are up against nationally.”
AOC also condemned what she described as “an authoritarian, criminal presidency fueled by corruption and bigotry.”
“There was a day before his presidency,” she said. “And there will be a day after.”
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
