Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, has found himself at the center of a controversy after an internal database revealed that he listed himself as Black on his 2009 Columbia University application, despite his current identification as an individual with African roots rather than Black. The data, reportedly obtained from a hacked Ivy League school’s database, shows Mamdani, then a high school senior, also checked the ‘Asian’ box and listed Ugandan heritage on the form. Although his father is a Columbia professor, Mamdani was not accepted to the university, sparking questions about the admissions process. Now 33, Mamdani has since stated that his college application was an effort to accurately represent his complex background, with no intent to gain an advantage. Trump has since commented on the issue, suggesting that if Mamdani interferes with immigration laws, he would consider legal action against the candidate.