NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani breaks silence on ‘disturbing’ AI photos linking him, Mira Nair to Jeffrey Epstein

Several of the viral images depict Mamdani and Nair posing in group photos alongside Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeff Bezos, former US President Bill Clinton, and Bill Gates. Another AI-created image shows Nair holding a baby Mamdani, surrounded by the same figures. The account responsible initially described itself as “an AI-powered meme engine”.

As the images gained traction, they sparked renewed controversy and a sharp online backlash aimed at both Mamdani and his mother. Reacting to the situation, the mayor said watching “patently photoshopped” images travel rapidly across the globe in “an era of misinformation” was deeply troubling. He repeated an old saying about “how quickly a lie can spread with comparison to the truth.”

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NEW: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the AI images showing him with Jeffrey Epstein are “incredibly difficult.”

AI images of Mamdani have been spreading on social media after his mother, Mira Nair, was named in the Epstein files.

In one fake photo, a young Mamdani was… pic.twitter.com/6y2bFXlrFn

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 6, 2026

Mamdani used the moment to push for tighter oversight of artificial intelligence and digital platforms. “We also have to work to ensure that we have a city, we have a state, we have a country that actually has a regulatory system when it comes to AI,” he said. Warning about the pace of technological change, he added, “Frankly, what it looks like today is a system that is ill-equipped for the speed and the reach of the technologies in front of us.”

A clip of Mamdani addressing the controversy has since gone viral, drawing a wide range of reactions online. One user wrote, “This is a big deal. AI is dangerous… I’m no Mamdani fan however he has a great point.” Another commented, “These AI fakes are getting out of hand. Crazy how fast misinformation spreads these days.”

Others focused on the personal toll of such content. “Seeing fake AI images of someone with Epstein is disturbing on so many levels. Even if it’s fake, the effect on their life and reputation is real,” one user said. Not everyone was sympathetic, however. A critical comment read, “The photos may be fake, but the fact that his mother’s name appears in the original Epstein file is concerning… The mayor’s office needs to be transparent about this.”