Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan told White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to "go back" to Nazi Germany after Miller made what Pocan called a "racist" remark about New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani.
Miller, a Jewish American, criticized New York City voters following Mamdani's surprise primary victory. Mamdani, a Muslim Indian-American Democratic Socialist, has campaigned on bold policies, including a $30 minimum wage, free childcare, rent freezes and publicly funded grocery stores.
"NYC is the clearest warning yet of what happens to a society when it fails to control migration," Miller wrote on Wednesday.
"Racist f--k," Pocan wrote in reply. "Go back to 1930's Germany," he added.
Racist fuck. Go back to 1930’s Germany.
— Mark Pocan (@MarkPocan) June 25, 2025
Social media users offered a range of reactions to both Miller's initial comment and Pocan's response.
"You debase politics with your vile intemperance, using 1930s Germany as a cudgel with which to insult Jewish people that disagree with you. You are a perfect example of how low American public debate has become," one user wrote, echoing broader criticism of Pocan for allegedly weaponizing the Holocaust to attack Miller's rhetoric.
You debase politics with your vile intemperance, using 1930s Germany as a cudgel with which to insult Jewish people that disagree with you. You are a perfect example of how low American public debate has become,
— sixtytwoone (@sixtytwoone) June 26, 2025
However, other users pointed out what they saw as misunderstandings of Pocan's message.
"It's utterly pathetic how these disingenuous genocide lovers are twisting Mark clearly calling Stephen Miller the Nazi that he is, to somehow meaning he should be a victim of Nazis," one X user wrote.
It’s utterly pathetic how these disingenuous genocide lovers are twisting Mark clearly calling Stephen Miller the Nazi that he is, to somehow meaning he should be a victim of Nazis.
— Shibli Zaman (@shiblizaman) June 27, 2025
"You're absolutely right," another wrote in response to Pocan. "And of course these racists are misconstruing your statement in a shameless smear effort."
You're absolutely right. And of course these racists are misconstruing your statement in a shameless smear effort.
— Jon Frohnmayer (@FrohnmayerJon) June 26, 2025
In a stunning upset on Tuesday, 33-year-old assemblyman Mamdani defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, sparking concern among billionaires and Republicans over his ambitious socialist platform. Mamdani, who received more total votes than Eric Adams did in 2021, told CBS News that the result "shows a mandate to deliver a city that New Yorkers can actually afford."
He now moves on to face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who has dismissed Mamdani as a "snake oil salesman."
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
