A billionaire behind some of the biggest attacks on New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is being raked over the coals for being highly conciliatory to him after his decisive win. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, hedge fund manager Bill Ackman congratulated Mamdani. “Congrats on the win,” he wrote, adding: Now you have a big responsibility. If I can help NYC, just let me know what I can do.”
The tweet was a surprising pivot from his previous words about the Queens assemblyman during his campaign. Ackman, who is a noted supporter of President Donald Trump, had been backing independent candidate and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the race and was one of Mamdani’s most vicious critics, hammering him with false claims of him being antisemitic and “amplifying hate” against Jewish New Yorkers. Mamdani has been a firm critic of Israel’s policies, particularly in their conflict in Gaza.
Those attacks were often seen in multi-paragraph posts on X, where he also tore down Mamdani’s campaign positions of making New York City more affordable for residents (which include increasing taxes on corporations and billionaires, free bus service, city-run grocery stores and rent freezes for stabilized apartments), claiming it would make the city “much more dangerous and economically unviable,” and spur an exodus of billionaires. Ackman went so far as to donate $1.75 million to two super PACs – Defend NYC and the pro-Cuomo group Fix The City.
But now, his conciliatory words have been accepted by the 34-year-old mayor-elect. “I appreciated his words,” Mamdani said while appearing on Good Morning America on Wednesday (Nov. 5). “I think what I find is that there is a needed commitment from leaders of the city to speak and work with anyone who is committed to lowering the cost of living in the city—and that’s something that I will fulfill.”
Ackman would be the first of a group of other wealthy figures making overtures to Mamdani. Blackrock co-founder Ralph Schlosstein also publicly pledged support. “I do care deeply about the city, and I’m not going anywhere, whoever the mayor is. I’m going to do whatever I can to help him be successful,” he remarked, according to Forbes magazine. Mamdani is keeping his grassroots structured, as he begins the work of assuming office next January, announcing an all-woman transition team headed by former Federal Trade Commission head Lina Khan.
