Emzari Gelashvili is a geopolitical analyst and columnist based in San Francisco. He previously served in Georgian national security agencies and in Georgia's Parliament. His writing addresses intelligence, foreign policy and political developments.
Case
Laura Loomer claimed an FBI source said Zohran Mamdani was denied a security clearance over possible terrorist contacts. Mamdani later announced he had his clearance, and Loomer repeated her allegations. What does the public record establish?
Role at the time: National-security analyst and opinion columnist
Statement summary
Gelashvili said no one had confirmed Loomer's claim that the FBI denied Mamdani a clearance. He argued for a decision under the usual security guidelines rather than political shortcuts.
“No one has confirmed it.”
The reference point is the alleged FBI denial over terrorist contacts. Gelashvili challenges the certainty of that characterization rather than asserting that no denial occurred.
Statement dates: September 18, 2026
Statement dates: September 18, 2026
