Trump Backs Indian American in NY Attorney General Race

Trump announced his endorsement in a Truth Social post, praising Komatireddy's legal and national security credentials, including her 2020 nomination to the federal bench. He also noted that she has the backing of Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman.

In the post, Trump sharply criticized James, accusing her of using the attorney general's office for political attacks. James successfully sued Trump in a civil fraud case, though a New York appeals court later reduced the $465 million penalty as excessive while upholding the underlying liability finding.

Komatireddy, the Republican and Conservative Party nominee, welcomed the endorsement, saying she was honored to have been nominated by Trump for a judgeship in 2020. She emphasized her focus on public safety and affordability, with her campaign slogan: 'There's a three word solution to affordability in New York: Just Fight Crime.'

A first-generation Indian American born in Brooklyn to parents from Telangana, Komatireddy spent over 12 years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of New York, handling national security, narcotics, and cybercrime cases. She later served as DEA chief of staff from 2023 to 2024 and is now a partner at Holtzman Vogel.

Komatireddy's legal career includes clerking for then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh and serving as counsel to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. She is an adjunct faculty member at Columbia Law School and is seeking to unseat James in the November election.