Barbra Streisand has become the latest celebrity to announce plans to leave New York City, saying her decision to support Mayor Zohran Mamdani was “the biggest mistake” of her life.
The legendary singer and actress made the announcement outside her New York City penthouse, where she told reporters that she had become increasingly frustrated with the direction of the city and the policies being pushed by the new mayor.
Streisand said she originally supported Mamdani because she believed his promises about taxation would primarily affect wealthy New Yorkers. According to Streisand, however, she now believes those promises have not turned out the way she expected.
“He promised us that he would tax the rich only,” Streisand said. “But he broke all his promises, and now he’s after our hard-earned money.”
The actress said the potential tax burden was only one of the reasons she had decided to leave New York.
“On top of the taxes, there’s also the issue of communism,” Streisand added. “A little communism is what we were promised, but Mr. Mamdani has gone full-time communist.”
Streisand said she never expected her support for Mamdani to result in what she described as a dramatically different political and economic environment.
“I thought we were talking about helping the city,” she said. “I didn’t think we were signing up for everything that came afterward.”
Her decision to leave would mark a major change for Streisand, who has maintained a long connection to New York and has spent decades associated with the city’s entertainment and cultural scene.
According to Streisand, she has now decided to sell her properties in New York and relocate to California.
“I’ve reached the point where I don’t want to keep my properties here,” she said. “I’m going to California, and I’m selling everything I have in New York.”
The announcement has added another celebrity name to the growing fictional debate over whether wealthy residents and public figures will remain in New York as the city adjusts to Mamdani’s agenda.
Streisand said she understands why some people support higher taxes and expanded government programs, but she believes there should be limits on how much people who have spent decades earning and investing their money are expected to contribute.
“You can’t keep telling people that their money is the solution to every problem,” she said. “At some point, people are going to decide they don’t want to play that game anymore.”
She also admitted that her original support for Mamdani had been based largely on what she believed his campaign had promised.
“I trusted what I heard,” Streisand said. “That’s why I supported him. Looking back, I wish I had paid a lot more attention.”
The singer said her move to California will give her a chance to start fresh while remaining close to the entertainment industry.
“I love New York, but I don’t recognize the direction it’s heading,” she said. “California is where I’m going next.”
Streisand’s decision leaves her with one final message for New Yorkers who supported Mamdani.
“Learn from my mistake,” she said. “Make sure you know exactly what you’re voting for.”