New York City Mayor Mamdani Faces Criticism Ahead of 9/11 Commemoration

<p>New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing scrutiny after a 2023 post marking the 9/11 attacks resurfaced online, in which he referenced the deaths and suffering caused by wars that followed the attacks.</p><p>"Nearly 3,000 New Yorkers died on 9/11; 22 years later, the death hasn't stopped. We mourn our neighbors who died that day. The hundreds of thousands who died in the wars that followed. The unknown millions injured & displaced. In their memory, we work toward a better world," Mamdani wrote on X in 2023.</p><p>Some families of 9/11 victims have called on the mayor not to attend New York City’s 9/11 commemoration after he faced backlash for interviewing Hasan Piker, who in 2019 said, "America deserved 9/11." Mamdani initially declined to condemn the remarks but later called them "objectionable and reprehensible."</p><p>Critics have accused Mamdani of using the anniversary to draw attention to the wars that followed 9/11 while notably omitting who carried out the attacks and describing the deaths in passive terms.</p><p>Marc Thiessen, a former Pentagon official, criticized Mamdani, stating, "As someone who was in the Pentagon when the planes hit, this is absolutely disgraceful. You have no business ever setting foot at Ground Zero, much less on 9/11. If you dare show up, I hope you are greeted with such a Bronx cheer that you slink away in shame."</p><p>New York City councilwoman Inna Vernikov also expressed her disapproval, stating, "I guess they all just 'died' in an accident? And then you wonder why the families of 9/11 victims don’t want you at the ceremony. Stay home, Mamdani."</p><p>Florida Representative Randy Fine criticized Mamdani's remarks, saying, "Nearly 25 years later, NYC’s Mayor is in bed with Muslim terrorists and refuses to call out evil for what it is. Unfortunately, it seems the city forgot when they elected Jihadi Mamdani mayor. But we never will."</p><p>Paul Mauro, a Fox News contributor and ex-NYPD officer, stated, "You've made this easy. Don't show up on 9/11 this year -- or any year. We're not interested in your moral equivalency, nepo baby. Stick to the parlor communism daddy taught you. You and your buddy Piker can spend the day practicing Mandarin."</p><p>Michael La Rosa, spokesperson for former First Lady Jill Biden, questioned the situation, asking, "Is this real?"</p><p>Representative Nancy Mace remarked, "Americans were MURDERED by TERRORISTS in the most horrific way."</p><p>Joey Jones, co-host of "Big Weekend Show," criticized Mamdani, stating, "What a coward. They were murdered and sleep well at night knowing I and thousands of my brothers did our part to even the f—–g score."</p><p>Mamdani stated he plans to attend the 9/11 commemoration to honor the victims, survivors, families, and first responders alongside Vice President JD Vance and former presidents including Biden and Bush.</p><p>A petition organized by several victims’ families called on Mamdani not to participate in the ceremony, questioning whether his participation would be appropriate given the tragedy. The petition states, "We respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy."</p><p>Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's office for comment.</p>