A SHOCK ELECTION — AND A FURIOUS REACTION
The political world barely had time to process Zohran Mamdani’s surprise victory in New York City before Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy ignited an entirely new firestorm.
Within hours of the results, Portnoy went live — visibly furious, pacing behind his desk, his trademark sarcasm replaced by raw anger.
“I can’t stand the thought of him running New York City,” Portnoy fumed. “I can’t stand it. I hate the guy.”
The clip spread instantly across social media, racking up millions of views within hours. Portnoy didn’t censor a single word.
“He’s a COMMUN!ST,” he continued. “This guy doesn’t believe in business, doesn’t believe in success, doesn’t believe in hard work. He believes in punishing people who build things.”
THE THREAT: “I’LL PULL BARSTOOL OUT OF NEW YORK”
Mid-rant, Portnoy dropped a bombshell: “If this is the direction New York’s going, I’ll pull Barstool out of the city completely. Done. Over.”
He pointed to what he called “anti-business policies” and “anti-free speech rhetoric” tied to Mamdani’s campaign.
“Barstool was born in a pizza joint with no money,” Portnoy said. “We worked, we fought, we built it here. But this city’s making it impossible to breathe — for anyone who doesn’t worship big government.”
The live chat exploded — some fans cheering, others stunned.
WHO IS ZOHRAN MAMDANI?
Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist from Queens, has become one of New York’s most polarizing political figures. His platform includes expanded housing programs, higher corporate taxes, and worker-owned business incentives — policies that have made him a hero to progressives and a villain to the city’s business elite.
He once described capitalism as “a system built on extraction, not creation,” a quote Portnoy referenced during his tirade.
SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS
Portnoy’s outburst went nuclear online. Hashtags like #PortnoyVsMamdani
and #BarstoolNYC dominated X (formerly Twitter), while clips of his rant hit TikTok’s trending page within hours.
Supporters praised him for “defending entrepreneurs against radical politics.” Critics mocked him as “a billionaire throwing a tantrum.”
Even Elon Musk chimed in with a cryptic post: “Entrepreneurs will always flee where they’re not free.”
Comedian Bill Maher added fuel on his podcast: “You know it’s bad when Dave Portnoy sounds like the last sane man in New York.”
A DEEPER DIVIDE
Political analysts say the clash between Portnoy and Mamdani reflects more than politics — it’s about identity.
“Portnoy represents unapologetic capitalism,” said media scholar Dr. Rachel Fenwick. “Mamdani represents a moral critique of that system. The tension between those worldviews was inevitable — but this confrontation made it personal.”
MAMDANI RESPONDS — CALMLY, BUT SHARPLY
Hours later, Mamdani fired back on X:
“I don’t hate success. I hate inequality. Everyone deserves a fair shot — even billionaires who sell pizza reviews.”
The jab, subtle but pointed, reignited debate. Portnoy responded with a laughing emoji and the words: “Nice try, comrade.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Whether Portnoy actually relocates Barstool remains uncertain. Sources close to the company say “internal discussions about relocation have already begun.”
Miami, Austin, and Nashville — all popular with business owners fleeing high-tax states — have reportedly reached out to Barstool.
Still, some insiders suspect this could be “more theater than threat.”
“Dave knows outrage drives engagement,” said a former Barstool editor. “But this time, it feels real. He’s tired of playing defense.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Love him or hate him, Dave Portnoy has once again turned a local election into a national flashpoint — this time about freedom, business, and identity.
“This isn’t politics,” he said. “It’s survival. If you love New York, you should be terrified of what’s happening.”
As the clip continues to circulate, one thing is certain: Portnoy may be angry — but he’s not alone.
CARLSON’S ACCUSATIONS
After Tucker Carlson claimed the FBI lied about the Donald Trump assassination attempt, the agency responded directly. Carlson questioned the FBI’s statements regarding suspect Thomas Crooks, suggesting the bureau misrepresented his digital footprint. Crooks, charged with attempting to kill Trump at a July campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, ultimately only struck the president’s ear but killed 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore. A Secret Service sniper shot Crooks shortly after, while two others, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were injured.
Carlson said, “The FBI told us Thomas Crooks tried to kill Donald Trump last summer, but somehow had no online footprint. The FBI lied, and we can prove it because we have his posts. The question is why?”
THE FBI RESPONDS
The FBI Rapid Response account pushed back immediately: “The FBI has never said Thomas Crooks had no online footprint. Ever.”
CARLSON DOUBLES DOWN
Carlson later shared a video he claimed the FBI, under director Kash Patel, had tried to hide. The footage, allegedly from Crooks’ Google Drive, showed shooting drills and suggested Crooks maintained multiple online personas and left YouTube comments. Carlson argued that this proved Crooks “was not some secretive lone wolf who never warned anyone that he was planning violence.” He added, “Thomas Crooks came within a quarter inch of destroying this country, and yet, a year and a half later, we still know almost nothing about him or why he did it.”
He accused the FBI of “hiding from the public what they know” and described Crooks as a “volatile, troubled, possibly mentally ill young man with a long record of espousing violence in public.” Carlson claimed the bureau “used a selective read of those comments to lie about what Thomas Crooks was thinking.”
THE FBI SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
On Friday, Patel released documents and statements that contradicted Carlson’s claims. On X, he wrote: “The investigation, conducted by over 480 FBI employees, revealed Crooks had limited online and in-person interactions, planned and conducted the attack alone, and did not leak or share his intent to engage in the attack with anyone.”
The bureau detailed its investigation, which included examining over 20 online accounts, data from more than a dozen electronic devices, numerous financial records, and over 1,000 interviews plus 2,000 public tips. Patel’s statement reinforced that Crooks acted independently and that the FBI had no record of him openly warning anyone about his intentions.