Congressman asked Zohran Mamdani to ‘go back to the Third World' for eating with his hands. What happened next

Indian Express

01-07-2025

Zohran Mamdani, the newly minted face of New York City's progressive wave, wasn't in the middle of a political rally or fiery debate when he found himself at the centre of a culture war. He was simply talking about food.
In a viral interview clip with Bon Appétit, Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, spoke about eating with his hands, a practice he said connects him to his roots. 'I have to eat with my hand,' he said. 'In Uganda, we even eat salad with our hands.'
But the clip drew a racially charged response from Republican Congressman Brandon Gill, who reposted it on X with a sneering caption: 'Civilised people in America don't eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World.'
Civilized people in America don't eat like this.
If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World. https://t.co/TYQkcr0nFE
— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) June 30, 2025
The post unleashed a wave of outrage online, as thousands called out the comment for its ignorance and bigotry. Critics pointed to the hypocrisy in singling out Mamdani, especially in a country where finger food is a staple of fast food culture. 'Do you eat tacos, French fries, or burgers with cutlery? Do you use a fork for Lays too?' one user asked. Another shared a photo of Donald Trump eating pizza with his hands, with the caption: 'The West has fallen.'
The west has fallen https://t.co/8OAABLfwUC pic.twitter.com/vfVmQx2w9v
— Jose Vega — Vote Vega & Sare! (@JosBtrigga) June 30, 2025
The backlash only grew when far-right influencer Laura Loomer jumped in with a vile, Islamophobic slur: 'My dogs are cleaner and more civilized when they eat than little Muhammad.' Her tweet was condemned as racist and dehumanising.
Mamdani, however, chose not to retaliate. 'Be authentic or go home,' he had said in the original clip. 'Growing up in the Global South,' he once noted, 'you come to understand struggle, whether in Uganda, South Africa or Palestine, through a lens of empathy and solidarity.'
Gill, on the other hand, appeared to cherry-pick lines from Mamdani's interview to push a narrative of cultural superiority. 'When you grow up as someone, especially in the Third World, you have a very different understanding of the Palestinian struggle,' Mamdani had said.
But if the Congressman's attempt was to smear Mamdani, it may have backfired. Six months ago, Mamdani was a relatively unknown New York Assemblyman. Now, he has defeated political heavyweight Andrew Cuomo in a stunning Democratic primary upset.