Ultra-Wealthy CEO Says 'Tax The Rich' Akin To A Racial Slur
By: HuffPost
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan to tax the city's ultra-rich residents to help patch a $5.4 billion fiscal hole is getting pushback from the ultra-rich, at least one of whom believes "tax the rich" is akin to a racial slur.
Steven Roth, the CEO of Vornado Realty Trust, used his company's earnings call on Tuesday to complain about Mamdani's rhetoric.
"I must say that I consider the phrase 'tax the rich,' quote, tax the rich, when spit out with anger and contempt by politicians both here and across the country to be just as hateful as some disgusting racial slurs ― and even the phrase 'from the river to the sea,'" Roth told investors on the call.
The second part of Roth's quote, "from the river to the sea," refers to a slogan adopted by pro-Palestinian activists. The line ends, "Palestine will be free."
In 2019, Forbes estimated Roth's net worth exceeded $1.1 billion. In 2021, the Wall Street Journal described Roth as "a longtime friend" of Donald Trump, noting their "lucrative" business partnership.
Roth offered the quote Tuesday in defense of a different billionaire, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin (net worth $48+ billion) after Mamdani filmed a video on the street below Griffin's $238 million penthouse to propose a new tax on high-value second homes in the city.
"When I ran for mayor, I said I was going to tax the rich," Mamdani says in the video before he points out Griffin's often-empty abode. "Today, we're taxing the rich."
Happy Tax Day, New York. We're taxing the rich. pic.twitter.com/Wky2LFXC9W
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) April 15, 2026
Roth closed out the first part of his investor call with a plea for Mamdani to fix the budget shortfall "by managing rather than by taxing."
"Ken, our partner and friend, is the best of the best," said Roth, fawning over his business buddy and fellow Republican megadonor.
"What these [politicians] seem to be saying is that the rich are evil or the enemy or the targets or maybe even just suckers," he added. "They are at the top of the Great American economic pyramid for a reason. They should be praised and thanked."
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Why would someone need a 238 million dollar house unless they wanted to rub everyone's nose in it ?
He doesn't need it but he wants it and can afford it. Did anyone know about his house before Mamdani told them? Strange way to rub everyone's nose in it by not advertising the house.
Sorry, anyone who can afford a 238 million dollar penthouse can afford to pay more in taxes, and should.
People should spend less time complaining about what others have and plan on how to get what they want themselves.
Not seem to be saying, that is exactly what they are saying. And when they start leaving NYC en masse they will be demonizing them even more.
oh....did his little feelers get hurt?
This guy seems to be personally insulted because someone wants to tax great wealth. Its as if his manhood is being assaulted if he is prevented from keeping every last dollar on earth.
given leftists history of murdering millions of people who they consider “rich” (woe to the kulaks), he’s definitely not wrong.
let's confine our complaints to America. The rich havent been touched in America. To the contrary, they are idolized.
Why should we do that? The US has never engaged in pograms against Jews yet the non graham platners of the world recognize that demonizing Jews is dangerous.
way off topic
Your brought up us history,
That does seem to be true. Many who are not considered wealthy seem to hold very wealthy people in awe. That they are, in some way, super-intelligent individuals who are always right.
Thats a partial explanation for Trump.
But they're not. There is no way trmp is smarter than me and I have a mediocre IQ. He got lucky. He didn't get there on his brains
You do yourself a disservice. Nonetheless, Trump is incredibly lucky. Makes one sick to see such an abysmal, incompetent human being get so lucky.
He got there on the borrowed brains of his "betters". He learned from them to never back down, to double down and ramp up the rhetoric, and to repeat the whole fucking cycle. Someone will run out of money, and it won't be him. It's really easy if your daddy made millions (with the same scheme).
There was a book written about Donald Trump's luck.
If you have lived in New York since the 1970's, you know that the arc of Trump's Triumphs has come from his ability to sue others. It has been front page news. Yet still he somehow buffaloes others into thinking that somehow, this time, he will make them money. He may be making money right now, but when the devil gets the competition, I am sure there will be hell to pay
I have an average IQ. Bout the same as most people. But thank you
He seems really triggered.