Sequoia partner's social media post on Mamdani sets off chain reaction

By Mike Isaac & Ryan Mac

 

Roelof Botha, managing partner at Sequoia Capital, attended the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley last week amid a storm back home. Attendees repeatedly questioned him about colleague Shaun Maguire’s July 4 post on X accusing Zohran Mamdani, a progressive Democrat and NYC mayoral candidate, of pushing an “Islamist agenda” and being part of a “culture that lies about everything.” 

Maguire’s remarks were quickly condemned as Islamophobic. Over 1,000 technologists signed an open letter urging Sequoia to take action, while others defended his right to free speech. Botha remained neutral at Sun Valley, but the controversy has thrust Sequoia into a political firestorm it long tried to avoid. 

For years, Sequoia maintained institutional neutrality while rivals like Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund leaned into politics. But as Maguire’s inflammatory views — including saying diversity, equity and inclusion “kills people” — gained attention, that position has become harder to hold. 

Sequoia, which backed giants like Apple, Google, and Nvidia, has historically let its founders shine while partners stayed low-profile. But with Silicon Valley’s evolution, political commentary by investors has become more common. Though Maguire’s outspokenness is unusual at Sequoia, it reflects a broader trend seen in figures like Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel. 

Sequoia has remained silent on the issue. Internally, senior partner Doug Leone appeared to defend Maguire, distinguishing between “Islamists” and “Muslims” in emails. “Sequoia is backed into a corner and only has bad options,” said Paul Biggar, founder of Tech for Palestine. 

In a recent video, Maguire reiterated his comments, calling Mamdani “an Islamist” and “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” while offering a limited apology to Muslims not aligned with Islamism. Mamdani’s campaign didn’t comment.

 

Founded in 1972, Sequoia built its reputation on early bets in firms like Cisco, YouTube, and Zoom. But as new investors flooded Silicon Valley, standing out meant being more vocal — including on politics. In recent years, Sequoia partners have broken from tradition: Michael Moritz criticised Trump in 2016, while Leone donated to and later denounced him. 

Maguire helped secure Sequoia’s investment in SpaceX and other Elon Musk ventures. He has over 275,000 followers on X. After Hamas’ October 7 attack, Maguire, a self-described “Jew and a Zionist,” defended Israel and warned of rising antisemitism. 

Maguire’s post on Mamdani came after The New York Times reported that the mayoral hopeful had described himself as “Asian and African American” on a college application. The backlash included an open letter accusing Maguire of promoting anti-Muslim stereotypes. A counterletter supporting him, signed by Bill Ackman and others, called him a “principled thinker.”

Sequoia partners have tread cautiously. On July 10, partner Pat Grady posted on X, expressing support for both the Muslim community and Maguire, calling  Sequoia’s culture of “healthy conflict of ideas.”

 

Now, activists are pressuring Sequoia’s financial backers — including major universities — to hold the firm accountable. “If we’re serious about building an inclusive future, it starts with holding power accountable,” the letter said.

 

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