Zohran Mamdani and AOC face backlash at 9/11 memorial

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced intense criticism after video footage appeared to show them laughing during the 25th-anniversary memorial service for the September 11 attacks at Ground Zero. The moment occurred while the names of the victims were being read aloud, sparking a significant backlash from political figures and 9/11 families.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rick Crawford both condemned the behavior, with Crawford calling it an “absolute travesty.” Critics pointed to Mamdani’s political associations as a reason for their disapproval. Prior to the ceremony, a petition organized by victims' families, which gathered over 110,000 signatures, had requested that Mamdani not attend the event.

Despite the tension, Mamdani and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani engaged in a brief, civil handshake during the commemoration. The memorial service, presided over by Archbishop Elpidophoros at the St. Nicholas National Shrine, included various religious leaders, survivors, and public officials, emphasizing themes of remembrance and unity.