From Fox News: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani admitted he has no federal security clearance on Monday, just a day after claiming he had been “briefed” about the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Mamdani was asked directly about his security clearance during a Monday press briefing, ultimately saying that he had not yet received it. The freshly-inaugurated mayor had been the butt of viral jokes on social media from users suggesting he had inflated his access to information about the strike in his initial statement.
“You don’t have federal security clearance yet, and has anyone from a federal agency reached out to you or members of your team to begin the vetting to get federal security clearance?” a reporter asked.
“That briefing, yes, was conducted by my team,” Mamdani responded. “And the question of federal security clearance is one that’s ongoing.”
Still confused, the report prodded, “So you do have it?”
Mamdani finally admitted he does NOT have federal security clearance.
“No, not as yet,” he replied.
I said it before: Mayor Zohran Mamdani does not have federal security clearance. When asked directly by a reporter, he initially danced around the question—then ultimately answered “NO,” confirming he does not have clearance.
That means he was not briefed on Nicolás Maduro or any… pic.twitter.com/5mURMFRfMR— Lattina Brown, MPA 🇯🇲🇺🇸 (@LattinaBrown) January 5, 2026
After the news of Maduro’s capture was announced on Saturday, Mamdani posted a statement on X, which implied he had received a federal briefing.
“I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City,” he wrote.
Then, condemning the action, he added, “Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law. This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance.”
I was briefed this morning on the U.S. military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as well as their planned imprisonment in federal custody here in New York City.
Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) January 3, 2026
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