Republicans Are Selling 'Deport Zohran' Mamdani T-Shirts

The New York Young Republican Club has started selling T-shirts with the slogan "Deport Zohran," printed onto them, in a reference to state Assemblyman and New York City Democratic mayoral primary winner Zohran Mamdani.

Newsweek has reached out to Mamdani's campaign via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the ranked-choice Democratic contest in July, sending shockwaves through the party, which has struggled to recover from former Vice President Kamala Harris' loss in November. The race is being closely watched and seen as something of a litmus test for Democrats, as Mamdani's ascent represents a pivotal moment for the city and party.

What To Know

The T-shirts, which were described as "Limited Edition," on X, formerly Twitter, retail for $45. The product description reads, in part: "T-shirt made in the USA, unlike Zohran."

Mamdani is an American citizen who was born in Uganda. If elected, he would become the city's first Muslim and first Indian American mayor.

Republicans have been critical of Mamdani, and President Donald Trump has described him as a "Communist Lunatic". Trump, when asked about Mamdani's remarks about Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in which he said he would get them out of the city, said: "Well, then we'll have to arrest him. We don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I'm going to be watching over him very careful on behalf of the nation."

In response, Mamdani said: "The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city."

Some Republicans have called on the Trump administration to revoke Mamdani's citizenship and deport him, though none have presented any evidence to suggest that Mamdani has committed an act that could justify his removal from the United States.

The rhetoric around Mamdani has been described as racist, bigoted and Islamophobic.

And while the criticism and rhetoric around the campaign is loud, it seemingly has not slowed the campaign's momentum. Data for Progress polling puts Mamdani ahead of Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams, both of whom are running as independent candidates.

What People Are Saying

Zohran Mamdani previously wrote on X: "Donald Trump is attacking me because he is desperate to distract from his war on working people. We must and we will fight back."

President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: "It's finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor."

The New York Young Republican Club, in an email shared with Newsweek: "The NYYRC's 'Deport Zohran' shirts are the best-selling item on our website. New Yorkers win when we boldly speak the truth in President Donald J. Trump's Golden Age: Zohran Mamdani should be denaturalized and deported. We have enough people here cozying up to terrorist groups, intent on destroying our Nation. We must not allow any more, not least as the mayor of New York City. Zohran should hope that his immigration paperwork is spotless, or he can hate the United States from his home country of Uganda."

Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on X: "Mamdani won. The establishment is in panic. Billionaires are raising money against him; Trump is ranting; Islamophobes are on the loose. They know what we know: Candidates who stand boldly with the working class can win not only in NYC, but anywhere. Let's stand with Zohran."

What Happens Next

New York City voters will cast their ballots for their next mayor on November 4.

Update 7/15/25, 11:52 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the New York Young Republican Club.