By Luc Olinga
Zohran Mamdani will have to get used to it. The Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City hasn鈥檛 even won the general election, but he鈥檚 already become public enemy number one in the online manosphere, the world of alpha male influencers and masculinity content creators who thrive on having an enemy to attack.
Mamdani, 33, a Democratic Socialist and state assembly member, is facing a digital firestorm from a coalition of conservative commentators, far-right figures, and online alpha influencers. These men, who have built vast online followings by selling a hyper-individualist, hyper-capitalist vision of masculinity, are now rallying their audiences around one shared goal: stopping Mamdani鈥檚 rise to power.
The attacks are deeply racialized, overtly Islamophobic, and framed as a battle between 鈥渢he West鈥 and 鈥渢he East.鈥 Mamdani, who is Indian-Ugandan and Muslim, has been branded a 鈥淢uslim communist鈥 and accused of being a Trojan horse for radical anti-American ideologies.
鈥淣ew York City is the battlefield for the future of the West,鈥 declared right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk on June 30.
On the left a resentful race obsessed woman who tried to destroy Trump On the right, a Muslim communist determined to ruin America鈥檚 greatest city New York City is the battlefield for the future of the west. https://t.co/2LPRXDuS10 鈥 Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 30, 2025
鈥淗e wants to steal other people鈥檚 stuff,鈥 Kirk wrote in another post, calling Mamdani 鈥渞esentful of the rich, of white people, of Westerners.鈥
鈥淪eizing the means of production.鈥 Let it be known that Mamdani is nothing more than an old-school Communist thief. He wants to steal other peoples鈥 stuff. Beneath all his slick campaign videos, he鈥檚 just resentful of other people (鈥渢he rich,鈥 business owners, white people,鈥 https://t.co/UhyFNtav45 鈥 Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 30, 2025
Kirk, who has over 5 million followers on X, is just one voice in a growing chorus. Others include billionaire Trump supporter Bill Ackman, who ominously warned, 鈥淲atch him and listen to his words,鈥 and tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya, who claimed that if Mamdani wins, 鈥渋t will most likely ruin NYC and degrade one of the world鈥檚 greatest cities.鈥
This guy is definitely talented. A rich kid LARP鈥檌ng as a poor mans defender. But anyone who has grown up poor (I grew up on welfare) or people who are poor hate people like this. None of us wanted to stay poor. We wanted to be rich and never look back. The hard work,鈥 https://t.co/ZC3Jb58SpS 鈥 Chamath Palihapitiya (@chamath) June 30, 2025
Jack Posobiec, a far-right influencer known for promoting conspiracy theories, posted a cinematic trailer filled with violent protest footage and flag-burning imagery. 鈥淯NDERSTAND NYC IS ON THE SAME TRAJECTORY AS LONDON,鈥 he wrote, invoking a frequent manosphere talking point: that the city will decline under a Muslim mayor, just as they claim London has under Sadiq Khan.
UNDERSTAND NYC IS ON THE SAME TRAJECTORY AS LONDON A DECADE AGO, LONDON ELECTED SADIQ KHAN HOW HAS LONDON FARED OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS? https://t.co/LM3P2lcxEZ 鈥 Jack Poso 馃嚭馃嚫 (@JackPosobiec) July 1, 2025
Their goal is clear: make Zohran Mamdani look dangerous. Use fear, Islamophobia, and racialized language to scare New Yorkers, especially white, middle-class moderates, away from a candidate who speaks openly about wealth redistribution, affordable housing, and taxing billionaires. Paint him not just as a progressive, but as a threat to civilization.
This is classic manosphere playbook strategy. The manosphere refers to the sprawling ecosystem of male influencers, YouTubers, and podcast hosts who monetize grievances about masculinity, feminism, race, and power. It includes figures like Andrew Tate, Sneako, and Ben Shapiro, and operates by casting progressive politics as an existential threat to men.
In Mamdani, they鈥檝e found a perfect antagonist: a young, charismatic, nonwhite Muslim leftist with real political momentum.
They mock his campaign videos while refusing to address the issues he actually talks about: sky-high rent, public transportation, homelessness, and the city鈥檚 wealth gap. Instead, they post memes, inflammatory edits, and clips taken out of context to project an image of chaos and destruction.
鈥淶ohran Mamdani鈥檚 radicalism is the future of the Democratic Party,鈥 warned Shapiro, adding, 鈥渕ainly because of the cuckold Democrats rolling over for him.鈥
On the show today Zohran Mamdani鈥檚 radicalism is the future of the Democratic Party 鈥 mainly because of the cuck Democrats rolling over for him; President Trump鈥檚 Big, Beautiful Bill is on the verge of passage; And we examine the latest on Iran and Ukraine鈥 It鈥檚 happening鈥 鈥 Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) July 1, 2025
鈥淭his guy is bad,鈥 Ackman posted flatly, offering no policy critique, only vibes and threat.
This guy @ZohranKMamdani is bad. Watch him and listen to his words. https://t.co/yu9n1ngKmY 鈥 Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) July 1, 2025
What is at stake for these online figures is their ability to influence real-world politics. By creating a high-profile enemy, they can consolidate their audience and test their power. Their strategy is to redefine Mamdani before he can define himself to a broader electorate. While they raise the specter of New York鈥檚 decline, they rarely offer solutions to the very real problems Mamdani鈥檚 campaign addresses, chiefly the city鈥檚 crushing cost of living. This is particularly ironic given that many of these figures portray themselves as self-made wealthy men who have succeeded through sheer effort.
Mamdani won the Democratic primary by defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a surprising upset. Because New York is a Democratic stronghold, he has a good chance of winning the general election scheduled for November 4. This makes the campaign to define him now all the more urgent for his opponents.