Topline
President Donald Trump and his allies accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of hypocrisy on Monday after a city official suggested some form of ID would be required to shop at city-run grocery stores—comparing the requirement to the voter ID law Trump zealously advocates for.
Key Facts
MAGA figures on Monday circulated a days-old clip of Mamdani being asked how the city would keep people from taking advantage of the grocery stores, which will offer about a 30% discount on some essential items compared to average prices, in which he said it was a “program for New Yorkers to be able to put food on the table, not a program for people to be able to make a quick buck through reselling.”
Mamdani then called New York City Economic Development Corporation head Jeanny Pak to the podium to elaborate, and she said “we are looking to make sure that we target New Yorkers, whether it be sort of a library card-esque [system] and also we manage who’s buying and that is focused on everyday New Yorkers.”
MAGA seized on the opportunity to attack socialist Mamdani and promote the SAVE Act, alleging Democrats support ID for some things, such as city-run grocery stores, but won’t support proof-of-citizenship to register to vote.
“I wish they’d have an ID to access the voting booth,” Trump said when asked about Mamdani’s potential ID requirement, also accusing the mayor of having “a thing where you had to have two different IDs to shovel snow.”
Elon Musk tweeted, “Oh, the irony is too much,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., wrote “it’s not just ironic, it’s hypocritical!” and former Los Angeles Republican mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt tweeted, “Racist Commie Mamdani is going to make you show ID in his markets. You want your government-subsidized arugula? Show your papers! Ask for ID to vote? BIGOT!!!”
First-time voters must provide some form of identification to register, such as a Social Security number, driver’s license or bank statement, with requirements varying by state, and are required to give a sworn statement verifying their citizenship; elections officials then typically verify the applications using government records and routinely update voter rolls.
What We Don’t Know
Whether an ID requirement will ultimately be a part of the city-run grocery store program and how it might be enforced. An announcement about the program on the city’s website says it would “apply to all regardless of income, with prices locked in and predictable rather than fluctuating week to week as is the case at private grocers.” It did not mention an ID requirement. Forbes has reached out to Mamdani’s office.
Tangent
Trump and his allies also criticized Mamdani for requiring two forms of ID to participate in the city’s emergency snow-shoveling program earlier this year, though Mamdani pointed out that the city was simply complying with longstanding federal employment verification rules.
Key Background
Trump has repeatedly called on the Senate to pass his voter ID legislation, known as the SAVE Act, by any means necessary, including terminating the filibuster. In recent weeks, Trump has directed his ire at Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., though Thune has said his hands are tied as the Senate does not have the 60 votes it needs to either pass the bill or eliminate the requirement of 60 votes to end the filibuster. The SAVE Act would require voters to provide some documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to cast ballots. Critics of the legislation argue cases of noncitizens voting are extremely rare and the bill would disenfranchise voters who would otherwise be eligible, simply because they don’t have the required documentation.
further reading
Ken Griffin’s Citadel Suggests $6 Billion NYC Project May Be At Risk Over Mamdani Tax (Forbes)
Mamdani-Endorsed Candidates Win New York Primaries (Forbes)
Billionaire Jamie Dimon Calls Mamdani’s Tax Proposals ‘Embarrassing’ (Forbes)