Topline<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump and his allies wrongly accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of hypocrisy on Monday, according to a Mamdani spokesperson, after a clip went viral among MAGA circles showing a city official suggesting a system to ensure stores were \u201cfocused on everyday New Yorkers,\u201d which was widely compared to the voter ID bill Trump zealously advocates for.<\/p>\n
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani holds up bananas as he speaks at a food distribution center on July 27, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n
MAGA figures on Monday circulated a days-old clip of Mamdani being asked how the city would keep people from taking advantage of the grocery stores, which will offer about a 30% discount on some essential items compared to average prices, in which he said it was a \u201cprogram for New Yorkers to be able to put food on the table, not a program for people to be able to make a quick buck through reselling.\u201d <\/p>\n
Mamdani then called New York City Economic Development Corporation head Jeanny Pak to the podium to elaborate, and she said \u201cwe are looking to make sure that we target New Yorkers, whether it be sort of a library card-esque [system] and also we manage who\u2019s buying and that is focused on everyday New Yorkers.\u201d<\/p>\n
MAGA, seizing on the opportunity to attack socialist Mamdani and promote the SAVE Act, alleged the comments meant that Democrats support ID for some things, such as city-run grocery stores, but won\u2019t support proof-of-citizenship to register to vote. <\/p>\n
\u201cI wish they\u2019d have an ID to access the voting booth,\u201d Trump said when asked about Mamdani\u2019s potential ID requirement, also accusing the mayor of having \u201ca thing where you had to have two different IDs to shovel snow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elon Musk tweeted, \u201cOh, the irony is too much,\u201d Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., wrote \u201cit\u2019s not just ironic, it\u2019s hypocritical!\u201d and former Los Angeles Republican mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt tweeted, \u201cRacist Commie Mamdani is going to make you show ID in his markets. You want your government-subsidized arugula? Show your papers! Ask for ID to vote? BIGOT!!!\u201d <\/p>\n
But the mayor\u2019s office told Forbes in the wake of the backlash Monday that anyone can shop at the stores, regardless of residency or income, without presenting an ID, and Pak was referring to a loyalty-card program of sorts that won\u2019t be tied to an ID or address.<\/p>\n
Crucial Quote<\/p>\n
\u201cComparisons to voter ID laws or the SAVE Act simply do not apply. This is not an identification system, nor is it a mechanism to verify who someone is, where they live, or how much they earn. It is a practical inventory management tool to ensure affordable groceries remain available for the people who need them instead of being cleared off shelves for resale,\u201d Mamdani spokesperson Cassio Mendoza said.<\/p>\n
Tangent<\/p>\n
Trump and his allies also criticized Mamdani for requiring two forms of ID to participate in the city\u2019s emergency snow-shoveling program earlier this year, though Mamdani pointed out that the city was simply complying with longstanding federal employment verification rules. <\/p>\n
Key Background<\/p>\n
Trump has repeatedly called on the Senate to pass his voter ID legislation, known as the SAVE Act, by any means necessary, including terminating the filibuster. In recent weeks, Trump has directed his ire at Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., though Thune has said his hands are tied as the Senate does not have the 60 votes it needs to either pass the bill or eliminate the requirement of 60 votes to end the filibuster. The SAVE Act would require voters to provide some documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to cast ballots. Critics of the legislation argue cases of noncitizens voting are extremely rare and the bill would disenfranchise voters who would otherwise be eligible, simply because they don\u2019t have the required documentation. First-time voters must provide some form of identification to register, such as a Social Security number, driver\u2019s license or bank statement, varying by state, and are required to give a sworn statement verifying their citizenship. Elections officials then typically verify the applications using government records and routinely update voter rolls.<\/p>\n
further reading<\/p>\n
Ken Griffin\u2019s Citadel Suggests $6 Billion NYC Project May Be At Risk Over Mamdani Tax<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n Mamdani-Endorsed Candidates Win New York Primaries<\/a> (Forbes)<\/p>\n