Debra Messing, once celebrated as a gay icon for her role in Will & Grace, is facing intense backlash from LGBTQ fans and progressive circles after sharing a series of controversial social media posts targeting Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected New York City mayor. Messing's posts, which included language likening Mamdani to a 'jihadist' and other inflammatory comparisons, have been widely condemned as racist and Islamophobic. Prominent figures such as RuPaul's Drag Race star Katya and queer influencer Matt Bernstein have publicly criticized Messing, while some of her Hollywood peers, including Marcia Cross and Alyssa Milano, have also spoken out against her stance.

Despite the uproar, Messing was honored at an international LGBTQ film festival in Tel Aviv, where she reiterated her support for the community and for Israel. The controversy has highlighted a shift in Messing's public persona, from a progressive activist to a vocal supporter of Israel, drawing both condemnation and support online. Meanwhile, Mamdani, who ran on a platform of affordability and social reform, won the mayoral race despite the heated attacks, with his team framing the victory as a mandate for progressive change.