Pete Davidson, a well-known personality from Staten Island, recently questioned the connection of Mayor Zohran Mamdani to his hometown. During an interview with Variety, Davidson expressed doubts about whether the mayor had any ties to Staten Island.

Davidson asked, “Zohran Mamdani… is he Staten Island? I don’t know,” adding, “I don’t think he’s from Staten Island.” The comedian further debated if Mamdani shared the values of Staten Island, stating, “I don’t have a problem with the guy, but I definitely don’t think he’s Staten Island at all. Staten Island’s the only red place in New York, and it’s violently red.”

According to Davidson, his family mostly aligns with conservative values, jokingly describing the situation as, “It’s more just like, ‘[Trump is] funny. Like, I don’t care. I just need something different.'” He added that being a Staten Island politician might involve having “a secret family and knowing one mobster” as cultural norms.

Davidson made these comments during a recent appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” alongside Mayor Mamdani. He used this platform to make public requests for local improvements, specifically targeting the long-delayed construction work on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). The BQE has been criticized for its traffic congestion and outdated infrastructure. Davidson’s request for improvement was met with applause from the audience. “They’re never doing anything,” Davidson expressed frustration, “Someone’s just standing there eating a sandwich or on the phone, and there’s all these cones around.”

Mayor Mamdani responded by discussing the planned BQE Central Project worth $4 billion. The project aims to rehabilitate the city-owned section between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street, with construction set to begin in 2030. Mamdani assured, “We’re going to be putting a multibillion-dollar plan to actually repair the part the city owns.”