Full Breakdown
Trump Criticizes NYC Mayor and Congresswoman Over 9/11 Memorial Conduct
By Drooid · · How we work
Event Overview
During the annual ceremony commemorating the September 11 attacks, cameras captured Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez exchanging greetings that included a brief laugh. The moment occurred while the names of the nearly 3,000 victims were being read. After the interaction, both returned their attention to the stage. Neither politician has publicly responded to the controversy.
Background and Context
Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor, had previously faced calls from 9/11 victims’ families to avoid the ceremony on its 25th anniversary. A petition organized by relatives of those killed reportedly gathered over 100,000 signatures urging him to stay away. Mamdani’s chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem, previously defended a Guantanamo detainee linked to the Pentagon attack. Ocasio-Cortez has a history of 9/11-related controversy, notably defending Rep. Ilhan Omar in 2019 after Omar’s remarks about the attacks.
Official Statements & Responses
Vice President J.D. Vance attended the Ground Zero ceremony alongside former Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Mamdani later reflected on personal impacts of the attacks, stating, “I want to speak to the memory of my aunt, who stopped taking the subway after September 11th because she did not feel safe in her hijab,” referencing his own family’s experience.
Criticism & Opposition
- NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov condemned Mamdani’s conduct, questioning how he could laugh while families wept.
- Senator Ted Cruz asked, “How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud? Why would you do so?”
Verbatim Quotes
- “After thousands of families of victims of terror beg Mamdani not to show up, he stands there and laughs while families weep. This is NYC’s Mayor.” — NYC Councilwoman Inna Vernikov
- “How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud? Why would you do so?” — Sen. Ted Cruz
- “The videos of [them] laughing are not true. I was standing next to them the whole time,” — Michael Ragusa, who worked for former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani and
- “I want to speak to the memory of my aunt, who stopped taking the subway after September 11th because she did not feel safe in her hijab,” — Zohran Mamdani, york city mayor