Mamdani's Face Ubiquitous Like Trump's

New York City's pre-K program expansion features mayor's enlarged image, raising comparisons to Orwell's "Big Brother"

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A poster depicting an enormous face gazed from the wall, with the caption "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU" - a scene reminiscent of George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984". This image has become ubiquitous in New York City, appearing on kiosks, social media feeds, and even at a marriage bureau on Valentine's Day, where the mayor's enlarged face topped that of the bride and groom. The expansion of the city's free pre-K program has brought Mamdani's face to the forefront, drawing comparisons to former President Donald Trump's constant media presence.

Why it matters

The prevalence of Mamdani's image, much like Trump's, raises concerns about the use of public resources for self-promotion by elected officials. While the pre-K program expansion is a laudable initiative, the oversized branding of the mayor's image has drawn criticism from ethics watchdogs who argue it violates the spirit of laws prohibiting the use of public service announcements for personal gain.

The details

The current branded version of the "pre-K for all" program was launched two mayors ago, in 2019. Under Mamdani, the program simply expanded to cover 2-year-olds, a year younger than before. And the state, not the city, is paying for the first years. However, Mamdani's face is ubiquitous in the program's advertising, with enlarged images of the mayor appearing on kiosks, social media, and even at a marriage bureau on Valentine's Day, where his face topped that of the bride and groom.

  • The current branded version of the "pre-K for all" program was launched two mayors ago, in 2019.
  • Under Mamdani, the program expanded to cover 2-year-olds, a year younger than before, in 2026.

The players

Mamdani

The current mayor of New York City, who has expanded the city's free pre-K program and featured his enlarged image prominently in the program's advertising.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, whose constant media presence and self-promotion has drawn comparisons to Mamdani's tactics.

Eric Adams

The former mayor of New York City, who did not use free video ads for personal aggrandizement.

Nicole Gelinas

A fellow at the Manhattan Institute, who criticized Mamdani's use of the pre-K program ads for self-promotion.

George Orwell

The author of the dystopian novel "1984", which featured the omnipresent image of "Big Brother" watching over the population.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If Adams did this, everyone would be cringing and saying he was using the kiosk-less self-promotion.”

— Nicole Gelinas, Manhattan Institute fellow (Herald-Review)

“Advertising child care enrollment is a top priority. Sure, and the city can advertise its child care program without centering the announcements on a larger-than-life mug of the mayor.”

— Mamdani spokesperson (Herald-Review)

What’s next

The ethics watchdogs at Reinvent Albany have said the ads violate the spirit of laws banning elected officials from using public service announcements for personal gain. They are expected to continue monitoring the situation and potentially take further action.

The takeaway

The ubiquity of Mamdani's image in New York City's pre-K program advertising, much like Trump's constant media presence, raises concerns about the use of public resources for self-promotion by elected officials. While expanding access to early childhood education is a worthy goal, the oversized branding of the mayor's image has drawn criticism from ethics experts who argue it undermines the public trust.