Debra Messing finally returns to Instagram with beaming snap after Zohran Mamdani ‘jihadist’ meme outrage
The Will & Grace star, wearing a green plaid coat, wrote, "Get out and enjoy the gorgeous Autumn weather before the cold front hits!"
By Callum Wells
Debra Messing has broken her nearly month-long Instagram silence after sharing a meme that appeared to describe newly-elected New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani as a “jihadist”.
The controversial post, reshared from an account called Persian Jewess on 4 November – the day of the NYC election – showed a voter filling out a fake ballot with two options. The first read: “A Democrat. Just a democrat.” The second stated: “An actual communist jihadist. A literal Karl Marx-quoting, America-hating jihadist.”
Messing’s repost prompted widespread criticism on social media, with some users calling her a “racist” and an “idiot”.
“Get out and enjoy the gorgeous Autumn weather before the cold front hits!” – Debra Messing captioned her latest post
On Sunday (23 November), she finally returned to the platform with a photo alongside RNMKR founder Ari S. Goldberg on the streets of NYC.
The Will & Grace star, wearing a green plaid coat and jeans, wrote in her caption, “Get out and enjoy the gorgeous Autumn weather before the cold front hits!”
She notably limited comments on the upload, following the recent backlash.
The actress previously revealed she voted early for Andrew Cuomo. In a statement about her vote, she wrote: “I voted for Andrew Cuomo because we need someone with experience to bring our city back to what it should be – safe, the thriving financial center of the world, more low-cost housing, more police to make our streets and subways safe for everyone. A social worker cannot help someone who is stabbed in the subway.” She also questioned Mamdani’s readiness for the role, citing his age, 34, and perceived lack of practical experience.
Despite criticism, Mamdani won the mayoral race, defeating former Governor Cuomo, who ran as an independent, and Republican Curtis Silwa.
Zohran Mamdani has promised support for LGBTQ+ rights and trans healthcare
He has pledged to pursue initiatives including universal childcare, fast and free buses, and freezing rent hikes for tenants in rent-stabilised units. His platform also highlights affordability measures such as a $30 minimum wage, more affordable housing, and higher taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents.
Mamdani has also promised support for LGBTQ+ rights and trans healthcare in a significant US milestone.
He wrote on social media ahead of his election: “Queer and trans people across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political environment.
“New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people, but private institutions in our own city have already started capitulating to Donald Trump’s assault on trans rights.”
Mamdani has pledged to expand and protect gender‑affirming care, proposing investing around $65 million in trans healthcare providers: “Meanwhile, the cost of living crisis confronting working‑class people across the city hits the LGBTQIA+ community particularly hard, with higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than the rest of the city,” he wrote in a social media post.