Mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared to be on the receiving end of a political snub from U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat on Friday, as Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch maintained a forced smile during a joint appearance at an NYPD security briefing. The briefing was held in anticipation of the National Dominican Republic Day Parade.
Espaillat, who lost a Democratic primary last month after Mamdani endorsed his challenger, notably excluded the mayor from his remarks. While he warmly acknowledged Commissioner Tisch, thanking her and placing a hand on her shoulder, Mamdani was not mentioned. The congressman recognized other NYPD officials, including Chief Ramolez and Chief Rivera, highlighting their work in Northern Manhattan and the Bronx.
Body language experts analyzed footage of the event, noting a lack of direct interaction between Mamdani and Espaillat. "Both are trying to avoid each other. Mamdani looks down. Espaillat doesn’t try to engage him either," said Traci Brown, a behavior analyst. Mamdani, 34, stood stiffly next to the 71-year-old five-term congressman, described as having a strained smile. Espaillat, the first Dominican American politician in Congress, referenced his own history of public service beginning in the 1980s and expressed his support for the police department.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, had previously criticized the NYPD on social media during the 2020 social justice protests, calling the department "racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety." He has since moderated his public stance on the department since taking office earlier this year.
Commissioner Tisch also appeared to exhibit strained body language, according to analysts. "She’s forcing her smile. It’s almost painful to watch," Brown commented. "And I think it’s unusual that she’d stand in front of him. Everything is a message. She’s trying not to connect [by] avoiding eye contact."
Psychiatrist Carole Lieberman observed Mamdani's mood shift during Tisch's speech. "When she started to give her speech, Mamdani’s mood changed … and then he zoned out in a frozen expression," Lieberman said. She noted that Mamdani stood with his hands clasped next to the podium.
The political tension stems partly from Mamdani's endorsement of Darializa Avila Chevalier in her successful primary challenge against Espaillat for New York's 13th Congressional District seat. Mamdani had described Chevalier as "the champion we need for a city New Yorkers can actually afford."