Mayor Mamdani Faces Criticism Over 9/11 Memorial Conduct and Past Posts

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attended the 25th anniversary 9/11 memorial service at Ground Zero on September 11, 2026, amidst criticism from some victims' families and political figures.

Mamdani was seen laughing with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during the ceremony while victims' names were being read, drawing condemnation from figures including Senator Ted Cruz and Councilwoman Inna Vernikov. Mamdani had previously been urged by over 110,000 signatories, including Jeannette Puccio-Pick, whose father died in the attacks, to stay away from the event. Puccio-Pick stated Mamdani affiliated himself with those who minimized and justified her father's murder.

Separately, Mamdani faced renewed scrutiny for past social media posts from July 4, 2021, 2023, and 2024, which featured photos of the rap group The Diplomats, known for lyrics referencing 9/11 and Mohamed Atta. The group has also referred to themselves as the Dipset Taliban and "Harlem’s al-Qaeda." Mamdani maintained these posts with the caption happy 4th.

Earlier, Mamdani released a video statement calling September 11 a day of immeasurable loss and highlighting New Yorkers' acts of solidarity. He also attended a memorial service at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who had publicly criticized Mamdani and urged him to skip the memorial, shook hands with the current mayor at Ground Zero. Giuliani had previously stated Mamdani's comments on toxic air following the attacks offended him and questioned Mamdani's stance on Islamic terrorism.