Former advisor to President Obama, Stuart Seldowitz, is facing backlash after remarks towards a food truck vendor were caught on film. Seldowitz was recorded accusing the vendor of being a “terrorist” and making derogatory comments about his lack of English proficiency, as well as threatening him and his family with detention by the Egypt intelligence services.
Seldowitz, previously employed with the National Security Council South Asia Directorate and the U.S. State Department’s Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs, also said to the vendor in the video: “If we killed 4,000 Palestinian kids, you know what? It wasn’t enough.”
The former Obama staffer then asked the vendor: “Did you rape your daughter like Muhammad did?”
When the vendor responded that he did not speak English, Seldowitz retorted, “That’s why you’re selling food in a food cart, because you’re ignorant. But you should learn English, it’ll help you when they deport you back to Egypt and the Mukhabarat wants to interview you.”
Gotham Government Relations, for whom Seldowitz has worked since November 2022, announced it has “ended all affiliation” with him following his actions, which the organization called “vile, racist, and beneath the dignity of the standards we practice at our firm.”
WATCH:
This man wearing a green jacket was berating and harassing a halal cart vendor off 83rd and 2nd Ave in NYC. Does anyone know who this man is? Planning to report to the authorities. pic.twitter.com/GwklyXpsPH
— Layla 🪬 (@itslaylas) November 21, 2023