New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory speech has been labeled as “divisive” by Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots.

Kraft, whose son Josh did not make it to the general election in Boston’s mayoral race, expressed disappointment with Mamdani, hoping the newly elected leader would serve as a “unifier” for the city.

“It saddens me that someone can be elected in New York City, the foremost city in America, with many beliefs, and when I heard him speak after his win, I expected a more unifying tone,” Kraft shared with Fox News. “Instead, I sensed a division in his words.”

“And that truly upset me,” he added.

In his speech, the 34-year-old Mamdani addressed the issue of rising costs and their impact on the city’s lower-income residents. However, critics were particularly concerned about his harsh criticism of President Donald Trump and his firm stance against the federal government’s continuing immigration enforcement policies.

Mamdani also focused on what he sees as a ‘mandate for change,’ a ‘new kind of politics’ and a ‘city we can afford,’ after receiving roughly half the vote in Tuesday’s election.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his wife Dr. Dana Blumberg bring their dog Heisman to training camp at Gillette Stadium back in July 

Zohran Mamdani and wife Rama Duwaji are seen voting at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts

Kraft responded to Fox News and its conservative sports website, Outkick, by acknowledging Mamdani’s surging popularity.

‘I mean, he’s tapped into something and touched something that people under 30 or 35 who, haven’t really experienced the world, but feel that America’s not living up to certain values,’ Kraft said. ‘We should pay attention to that.

‘But not to the divisiveness and hate and, really, things that aren’t in America’s best interest,’ Kraft continued.

‘And it’s a little sad for me to see that happen in the year 2025. We have to find a way to get a better understanding and educate the people who think they’re solving a problem, but creating a bigger problem.’

A long-time supporter of Israel, Kraft also took issue with Mandani’s views on the Middle East. The first Muslim ever elected mayor of New York has long been accused of sympathizing with terrorists – claims he’s dismissed as ‘racist, baseless attacks.’

Once asked if he thinks Israel has the right to exist, the pro-Palestinian Mamdani didn’t back down, saying: ‘I believe that Israel has a right to exist as a state with equal rights.’

Speaking with Fox, Kraft stressed his belief that the United States needs to support Israel for its own foreign policy objectives.

‘The state of Israel represents the values of America and the western world and is actually doing the hard things to try to protect America,’ Kraft said. ‘We have aligned interests there.’

The New York Post described New York City as ‘The Red Apple’ after Mamdani’s win

Some of Mamdani’s Jewish supporters are seen holding signs outside an election watch party

Mamdani supporters crowd around an election night watch party in Brooklyn on Tuesday

But Kraft did not criticize Mamdani’s Muslim faith or the mayor-elect’s outreach efforts within the city’s Islamic communities. Instead, Kraft reiterated his belief that all Americans should have equal freedom to practice their respective religions.

‘I don’t understand why people have so much hatred and evil in them when we’re talking about different ways to respect the Lord and honor God and have prayer,’ Kraft said. ‘Everyone should be free to do it the way they want.’

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has similarly objected to Mamdani in New York City.

A Patriots fan and fellow supporter of Israel, Portnoy discussed his company’s future in the city with the Daily Mail earlier this week.

‘There is zero value to being in New York for us right now,’ Portnoy told the Daily Mail of Barstool’s potential Big Apple exodus . ‘There are many cities that are far more pro-business than [New York City] which is clearly anti-business.’

Already an ex-New Yorker with homes in Miami, Montauk and Nantucket, Portnoy won’t be subject to Mamdani’s proposed two percent tax hike on seven-figure earners. What’s more, Portnoy isn’t too concerned with the democratic socialist’s plans to raise corporate tax rates in the city.

Mamdani topped former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine percentage points

Swampscott, Massachusetts-native Dave Portnoy and Camryn D’Aloia attend a playoff game between his Celtics and Zohran Mamdani’s Knicks in Boston 

Instead, as Portnoy told the Daily Mail, he’s considering relocating Barstool’s New York office and hundreds of staffers because of Mamdani.

‘The taxes is the least of it for me,’ Portnoy wrote. ‘He is a communist. I am a capitalist. I think wanting to be successful and rich is a positive quality. He thinks it makes you evil. I think hard work should be rewarded. He wants everybody to get a trophy.’

Portnoy’s list of grievances didn’t end there.

For starters, Mamdani previously voiced support for defunding police. And while he has since apologized to local cops, Portnoy still views the mayor-elect as an enemy of New York’s Finest.

‘I respect the NYPD and first responders,’ Portnoy continued. ‘He hates the NYPD and wants to defund them.’

As for now, Portnoy is still waiting to make a decision, telling the Daily Mail: ‘I’ll keep my options open and see what happens.’