"Go Back To Third World": Republican On Video Of Zohran Mamdani Eating With Hands

Republican Representative Brandon Gill has told Zohran Mamdani to "go back to the third world" after an old video of the New York City mayoral candidate eating rice with his hands surfaced online.

"Civilised people in America don't eat like this," the Texas Congressman posted on X, reacting to the video. "If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the third world."

The clip, which went viral on Sunday, shows Mr Mamdani eating with his hands and speaking on how his upbringing in Uganda and South Africa shaped his understanding of the Palestinian struggle.

Recorded in 2023 during an interview with Uncivilised Media, the video captures him saying, "When you grow up as someone, especially in the Third World, you have a very different understanding of the Palestinian struggle. It is one that is framed in terms of empathy and solidarity."

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

Eating with hands, as seen in the video, is a widely practised tradition in many South Asian cultures.

If elected in November, Mr Mamdani would become New York City's first mayor of Indian descent. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to a Punjabi mother and father with Indian ancestry, he spent his early years in South Africa before moving to New York at age seven. He became a US citizen in 2018, shortly after graduating from college.

The Democratic socialist has been vocal about dismantling US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling it a "fascist" institution, which he intends to expel from the city. His stance has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans, particularly allies of President Donald Trump.

Former ICE director Tom Homan dismissed Mr Mamdani's pledge, saying, "Good luck with that," and promised intensified federal enforcement in sanctuary cities under the Trump administration.

Republican Rep Andy Ogles branded Mr Mamdani an "antisemitic, socialist, communist" and called for his denaturalisation. Representative Nancy Mace posted an online poll asking whether Zohran Mamdani should be deported.

Trump mocked Mr Mamdani on Truth Social, calling him a "100% Communist Lunatic" and attacking his appearance, intelligence, and political allies.

Stephen Miller, Trump's former senior advisor and an immigration hardliner, described Mr Mamdani's primary win as "a warning" of what happens when immigration is not tightly controlled, accusing Democrats of backing a radical agenda.