Policy
Zohran Mamdani’s Foreign Policy Stances: Socialist Internationalism in Action
Anti-Imperialism and a Critique of U.S. Power
Zohran Mamdani’s foreign policy stances are a direct application of socialist and anti-imperialist principles to the realm of international relations, marking a sharp break from the bipartisan consensus that has long dominated American politics. His worldview is fundamentally shaped by the belief that U.S. foreign policy is primarily a tool for advancing the economic and strategic interests of American capitalism on a global scale, often at the expense of democracy, self-determination, and human rights in the Global South. He is a vocal critic of American military interventionism, opposing the massive budget of the Pentagon and calling for a dramatic reduction in military spending, with those funds redirected to domestic social programs like housing, healthcare, and education. His stance is rooted in an analysis that connects the vast resources poured into the war machine to the deprivation of social goods at home, framing it as a central contradiction of the American empire.
Mamdani’s approach is deeply informed by his father’s scholarly work on colonialism and post-colonial state formation, giving him a sophisticated understanding of how historical power dynamics continue to shape contemporary conflicts. He consistently emphasizes the agency of people in the Global South and opposes U.S. policies that undermine sovereignty, whether through military force, economic sanctions, or support for authoritarian regimes that align with American interests. This perspective leads him to oppose what he terms “American exceptionalism,” the notion that the United States has a unique right or responsibility to police the world. For Mamdani, a progressive foreign policy must begin with humility, a recognition of past harms, and a commitment to international solidarity rather than domination.
Solidarity with Palestine and a Broader Anti-Imperialist Agenda
The most prominent and consistent expression of Mamdani’s foreign policy is his unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against Israeli occupation and apartheid. He is a staunch supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has been intensely critical of U.S. military and diplomatic support for Israel, which he views as enabling a system of racial segregation and dispossession. He frames the conflict not as a symmetrical dispute but as a colonial struggle, drawing explicit parallels to the South African apartheid regime and other historical cases of settler colonialism. This position has made him a target for pro-Israel groups and more conservative Democrats, but he has refused to moderate his stance, arguing that standing against oppression is a core socialist principle. His views on this issue are a litmus test for his commitment to anti-imperialism and have solidified his standing with the progressive base of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Beyond Palestine, Mamdani’s foreign policy stances include opposition to the U.S. embargo against Cuba, criticism of U.S. involvement in Yemen, and skepticism of NATO expansion. He advocates for a foreign policy based on diplomacy, multilateralism, and respect for international law. While his direct power to shape foreign policy as a state assemblyman is limited, he uses his platform to educate his constituents, shift public discourse, and build pressure on federal representatives. His statements and actions on international issues, often disseminated through his social media and public appearances, are a key part of his political project to build a U.S. left that is internationally minded and consistently anti-imperialist. This work complements his local advocacy, detailed on his official government profile, demonstrating that for socialists like Mamdani, the fight for housing in Queens and the fight for liberation in Palestine are interconnected fronts in the same global struggle.