FDNY Director Tucker Discusses Resignation Following Mamdani’s Election
Robert S. Tucker, the Director of the FDNY, shared that he hasn’t received any communication from the campaign of Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani since his announcement to resign, which came after the Democratic Socialists won the election.
Tucker, who took on his role less than 18 months ago, mentioned that he has not been in contact with anyone from Mamdani’s team since Mamdani triumphed over former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa on November 4. “I haven’t heard anything from anyone in the incoming administration, not even from the department,” he remarked. “I just hope this doesn’t reflect their sentiments towards the FDNY. I’d like to think they see everything going well here and don’t feel the need to rush things,” Tucker said in an interview that aired on “CBS Morning.”
Tucker publicly explained the reason for his resignation in an emotional conversation with host Tony Dokoupil the day after Mamdani’s victory. He expressed that Mamdani’s comments regarding Israel played a significant role in his decision. “It’s a complex and emotional choice to resign, but clearly, the mayor and I have very fundamental ideological disagreements,” he noted.
While he didn’t claim it was the sole reason, Tucker admitted, “What the mayor expressed is going to complicate my ability to stay in this senior position in his administration,” confirming that his resignation would take effect on December 19.
Additionally, Tucker addressed Mamdani’s reaction to a recent anti-Semitic protest outside the Park East Synagogue on the Upper East Side, where demonstrators attempted to disrupt a gathering focused on promoting Jewish immigration to Israel. Mamdani’s statement seemed to support the protesters while insisting that all New Yorkers should be able to access houses of worship free from intimidation.
However, Tucker felt that this response fell short. “I’m not sure the public grasped the right message from him. I believe he could have condemned the behavior and some of the language right from the start,” he said.
Tucker’s resignation stands in stark contrast to Mamdani’s decision to keep NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is also Jewish. Tisch accepted Mamdani’s offer to remain in her position last week. “I respect her decision to stay, and I know she respects my choice to resign,” Tucker concluded.
