Jeffries Sidesteps Question About Mamdani Identifying As Asian, African-american On College Application

House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries sidestepped a mobility astir a New York Times report that New York City Mayoral campaigner Zohran Mamdani identified arsenic African-American and Asian connected his assemblage application, which prompted attacks from his mayoral competitors. 

"New York City Mayor Eric Adams is attacking Mamdani complete reports that he identified himself arsenic African-American and Asian connected assemblage application. Mamdani was calved successful Uganda, his parents from India. What are your thoughts connected this issue? Mamdani has checked aggregate boxes trying to seizure what he calls nan fullness of his background," Rev. Al Sharpton asked Jeffries connected Saturday during his MSNBC show. "I mean, is this a existent rumor to you?"

The article claimed that Mamdani, erstwhile asked his title connected his 2009 assemblage exertion to Columbia University, checked nan boxes for "Asian" but besides "Black aliases African American," successful their article published connected Thursday. 

"I deliberation to me, you know, nan rumor that we person to woody pinch successful New York City, which our Democratic nominee did talk astir extensively during nan superior campaign, is affordability," Jeffries responded. "And peculiarly successful galore of nan neighborhoods that are being overwhelmed by gentrification and wiped retired by lodging displacement."

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks during his property convention astatine nan U.S. Capitol connected April 28, 2025 successful Washington, DC. Jeffries said critically astir imaginable authorities supported by President Donald Trump and Republicans. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images))

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Jeffries continued, "that whoever’s going to beryllium nan adjacent politician of nan City of New York really needs to articulate a actual scheme for making judge that working-class communities, including working-class neighborhoods of color, tin still person a spot successful our awesome city." 

"The metropolis that some of america love, but we know, is changing importantly successful position of nan opportunity for moving families and middle-class folks to beryllium capable to proceed to telephone a home," he said. 

The New York Times' reporting was criticized by liberals, including former MSNBC big Keith Olbermann, who wrote connected X, "Your absolute abrogation of nan NYT standards would successful a amended era location person led nan afloat scope of you successful guidance to resign. Utter failure."

"Then again, if you don't recognize NYT is perceived arsenic actively campaigning against Mamdani, you're each mislaid anyway," Olbermann continued.

New York mayoral candidate, State Rep. Zohran Mamdani (D-NY) speaks to supporters during an predetermination nighttime gathering astatine The Greats of Craft LIC connected June 24, 2025 successful nan Long Island City vicinity of nan Queens borough successful New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

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The Times' adjunct managing editor for Standards and Trust, Patrick Healy, put retired a lengthy connection connected X nan pursuing time aft receiving "reader feedback" connected nan article.

"Our reporters obtained accusation astir Mr. Mamdani’s Columbia assemblage exertion and went to nan Mamdani run pinch it. When we perceive thing of news value, we effort to corroborate it done nonstop sources. Mr. Mamdani confirmed this accusation successful an question and reply pinch The Times," he wrote.

Building of nan New York Times newspaper publishing house.  (Photo: Alexandra Schuler/dpa (Photo by Alexandra Schuler/picture confederation via Getty Images))

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Healy explained that nan New York City mayoral campaigner felt constricted by nan options listed successful nan application's group personality boxes — and since he was calved successful Uganda, decided to constitute successful nan state connected his application.

Mamdani's exertion was made disposable to The Times aft a cyberattack connected Columbia University successful precocious June led to immoderate of nan school's delicate accusation being exposed to nan hackers.

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Healy stated that though nan outlet received nan accusation aft it was stolen successful a cyberattack, "The Times does not solely trust connected nor make a determination to people accusation from specified a source," and verified nan exertion pinch Mamdani himself earlier publishing nan story.

Fox News' Marc Tomasco contributed to this report.