Vice President JD Vance just delivered a blistering critique that’s got everyone talking, targeting New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani for his eyebrow-raising Independence Day comments.
Breitbart reported that on July 4, 2025, Mamdani, the Ugandan-born Democratic nominee for mayor, posted a social media message calling America “beautiful, contradictory, unfinished,” while Vance, speaking the next day, accused him of ingratitude toward the nation that offered his family refuge.
Let’s set the stage: on Independence Day, Mamdani shared his thoughts online, describing the United States with a mix of praise and critique.
He capped it off with “No Kings in America,” a nod to the leftist “No Kings” protests from earlier in June 2025. That phrase alone raised conservative hackles, sounding like a jab at the very foundations many hold dear.
The very next day, July 5, 2025, Vance took the stage at the Claremont Institute’s Statesmanship Award dinner in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and didn’t hold back. He pointed out that this was the 249th anniversary of America’s birth, a milestone worth celebrating with unreserved pride.
Vance then zeroed in on Mamdani’s words, questioning, “Who the hell does he think that he is?” That sharp retort cuts to the heart of Vance’s argument: a profound lack of appreciation from someone whose family history owes much to American generosity.
Delving deeper, Vance highlighted Mamdani’s background, noting his family, of Indian heritage, fled Uganda during the brutal ethnic cleansing under Idi Amin.
America became their sanctuary, a safe haven built by strangers who fought and died for a society free from such hatred. Yet, Vance argued, Mamdani’s message carried no hint of thanks for that sacrifice.
“There is no gratitude in those words,” Vance declared, slamming Mamdani’s post as a backhanded compliment on a day meant for national unity. He sees it as a slap to the countless Americans who forged this nation from raw wilderness into a global powerhouse.
Vance pressed further, questioning if Mamdani ever pondered the personal costs borne by others for his family’s safety. “Has he ever visited the gravesite of a loved one who gave their life to build the kind of society where his family could escape racial violence?” Vance asked, urging a reflection that seems conspicuously absent.
Indeed, Vance painted a vivid picture of Union Army soldiers, young men writing letters to loved ones they’d never see again, all to secure a future for strangers like Mamdani’s kin.
The contrast between their sacrifice and a social media quip about America’s “incompleteness” couldn’t be starker.
Let’s not ignore the timing: Vance noted that, per multiple media reports, Mamdani had never publicly acknowledged Independence Day with sincerity before this year. That sudden pivot to commentary, laced with critique, feels less like patriotism and more like political posturing to some.
Mamdani’s closing line, “No Kings in America,” might aim for poetic, but to many on the right, it echoes a progressive agenda dismissive of the very structures that allowed his family’s freedom. It’s a catchy slogan, sure, but does it honor the day’s true meaning?
Vance’s broader point stings with a polite but pointed jab: how can someone stand on American soil, benefiting from its hard-won liberties, and choose critique over celebration on such a historic occasion? It’s a question that resonates with those who see national pride as non-negotiable.
Zooming out, Vance’s speech wasn’t just a takedown; it was a call to remember the blood and sweat that built this nation. He framed America as a rare exception in history, a place where ethnic conflict doesn’t dictate destiny, as it did for Mamdani’s family in Uganda.
Yet, while Vance’s words carry weight for conservatives wary of progressive narratives, it’s worth noting Mamdani’s intent might not have been to insult.
His post did call America “beautiful” and expressed pride, even if tempered by calls for improvement—though that nuance risks getting lost in the culture war crossfire.