Sid Rosenberg, a conservative radio host on New York’s WABC, has publicly apologized for a recent incident in which he referred to Zohran Mamdani as a “cockroach” during his show.
Rosenberg acknowledged that his now-deleted social media post about the Muslim mayor, made on Monday, was excessive and inappropriate. “I shouldn’t engage in name-calling. I’ve already issued a sincere apology to the mayor,” he stated during Wednesday’s broadcast of Sid and Friends in the Morning.
The host attributed his outburst to his frustrations over the ongoing situation in Israel, which is currently facing retaliatory strikes from Iran. “Regrettably, I directed my anger towards the mayor,” Rosenberg admitted. “I lost my temper because of my deep support and affection for the Jewish community.”
Rosenberg’s remarks were widely criticized as Islamophobic. However, Florida Republican Randy Fine stood out as one of the few individuals who defended the comments.
‘I did, unfortunately, take it out on the mayor,’ Rosenberg conceded. ‘I’ll admit I flew off the handle, but that is because… my support and my love with the Jewish people.’
The conservative’s comments were almost universally condemned as Islamophobic, with Florida Republican Randy Fine one of the few to defend them.
The post about Mamdani had read in full: ‘Bottom line is he’s an America-hating, Jew-hating, Radical Islam cockroach running our once beautiful city.’
‘Sid, just don’t compare him to a dog. Then they’ll REALLY be upset,’ Fine wrote in response while the tweet was still up, days after he was heavily criticized for his own post that appeared to express a preference for dogs over Muslims.
Sid Rosenberg – the well-known conservative radio host who endorsed Donald Trump in 2024 – apologized on his WABC show Wednesday for rhetoric widely seen as Islamophobic
He wrote of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday: ‘Bottom line is he’s an America-hating, Jew-hating, Radical Islam cockroach running our once beautiful city.’ The post has since been deleted
Rosenberg on Wednesday said he would continue to criticize Mamdani’s policies as per usual.
The radio host told his listeners he ‘didn’t sleep last night’ due to the backlash.
‘I’m still Sid. But every now and then you have to step back and say, “Maybe this time a little bit much,” but it ain’t gonna stop me from being Sid,’ he said.
He added that he had spoken privately with his wife, his daughter and other friends before making the decision.
Several politicians – Mamdani included – slammed Rosenberg’s initial post as unacceptable.
‘This is not about me. This is about the more than one million Muslims who call New York City home and who have long had to deal with racist and dehumanizing rhetoric and the absence of any kind of pushback,’ the mayor told reporters Wednesday.
He went on to acknowledge the laundry list of New York Democrats who went up to bat for him, which included Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Chuck Schumer, City Council Speaker Julie Menin and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
‘What we saw over these last few days is so many leaders across the city standing up and saying that this is not the kind of language we will accept in a city that is home to all of us,’ Mamdani said.
Rosenberg with Republican Curtis Sliwa, who he initially supported in the mayoral race
Rosenberg with Leonardo DiCaprio at Rao’s restaurant in Harlem last year
Rosenberg – who in January celebrated his ten-year anniversary with WABC – made headlines in 2024 for his endorsement of Donald Trump.
‘She has some sick posture, that Hillary Clinton. What a sick son of a b***h,’ Rosenberg said as a speaker at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally at the time.
‘That whole f***ing party a bunch of degenerates, lowlifes, Jew haters. Every one of them’ he added.
Rosenberg further told rally-goers he had just flown in from Israel and that ‘they loved Trump’ in the country.
After laying into Democrats, Rosenberg slammed the state of New York City under then-Mayor Eric Adams and his predecessor Bill DeBlasio.
‘You’re all beautiful. Look at you. But you can’t walk outside past about 10 at night here… You get punched across the face just for walking down the street,’ he said.
Rosenberg initially supported Republican Curtis Sliwa in the race, before shifting to support Democrat-turned Independent Andrew Cuomo. Both went on to lose to Mamdani – a former New York State assemblyman.
