Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker resigns days after Zohran Mamdani’s election, citing unease over incoming mayor’s anti-Israel stance and agenda.
New York City Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker, a respected Jewish philanthropist, security executive, and public servant, has announced his resignation — just one day after the election of anti-Israel mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, The New York Post revealed Wednesday.
Tucker, who was appointed by outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, informed City Hall that he will step down on December 19, ending just over a year in office.
According to senior officials quoted by The Post, Tucker’s departure was influenced by growing concerns about Mamdani’s hostility toward Israel and his alignment with pro-BDS, anti-Zionist rhetoric.
“His support for the Jewish state does not align with the new mayor,” one source said bluntly.
Tucker, who has deep professional and personal ties to Israel, will return to head T&M USA, the private security and consulting firm he founded in 1999 — which maintains an affiliate company in Israel.
In a public statement, Tucker refrained from citing politics but emphasized pride in his department’s achievements:
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as the 35th New York City Fire Commissioner,” Tucker said. “We empowered the brave men and women who keep our city safe, bringing fire-related deaths to a historic low.”
He added that he would ensure a “smooth and professional transition” before departing.
But behind the scenes, City Hall insiders describe a climate of unease among senior Jewish officials and pro-Israel allies within city agencies — many of whom fear reprisals or marginalization under Mamdani’s administration.
Mamdani, a self-proclaimed anti-Zionist who has repeatedly accused Israel of “war crimes,” refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” and even vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he ever visits New York.
The mayor-elect’s remarks on October 8, 2023 — just one day after Hamas’s brutal massacre in southern Israel — drew national outrage after he blamed Israel instead of condemning the terrorist atrocities.
When asked about Tucker’s resignation at a press conference Wednesday, Mamdani offered a carefully worded response:
“I am willing to consider anyone to work in my City Hall so long as they are committed to delivering on our agenda.”
Critics saw the comment as a veiled warning to appointees who support Israel or oppose his far-left worldview.
Tucker, 55, is a longtime community leader who has served as a special assistant in the Queens District Attorney’s Office and secretary of the FDNY Foundation. He has been honored by the New York Board of Rabbis and Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City for his humanitarian efforts.
Jewish leaders across the city expressed sorrow and concern over his departure.
“Robert Tucker’s resignation is a loss for New York — but also a warning sign,” said one prominent rabbi. “When public servants feel they cannot serve under an openly anti-Israel mayor, that’s not democracy — that’s intimidation.”
A successor has not yet been announced, though City Hall sources confirm Mamdani plans to install a new commissioner before December 19.
As one Jewish community leader put it, Tucker’s resignation “marks the first casualty of a new era in New York — one where loyalty to Israel could cost you your job.”
