Video of NYC Mayor Mamdani and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez at 9/11 Ceremony Exposes Right-Wing Hypocrisy
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A brief, silent exchange between New York City’s first Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani, and progressive champion Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during the 25th-anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero was weaponized by conservative voices online, revealing ongoing right-wing attempts to smear progressive leaders.
A four-second clip from the live broadcast of the 25th-anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero showed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, two trailblazing progressives, sharing a smile and greeting each other as the names of September 11 victims were being read. The video, notably without audio, was quickly seized upon by right-wing figures desperate to manufacture outrage.
Conservative politicians, including Sen. Ted Cruz and commentator Meghan McCain, pounced on the moment, falsely framing it as disrespectful laughter during a solemn occasion. This calculated misrepresentation ignores the reality that many politicians, regardless of party, exchanged greetings and light moments throughout the event. Former state Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou called out this hypocrisy, noting both Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez stayed for the entire ceremony and engaged with victims’ families afterward, demonstrating their genuine commitment.
The clip also showed Mamdani shaking hands with former mayor Rudy Giuliani, a figure synonymous with reactionary politics, before the ceremony began. Giuliani’s aide claimed the two exchanged pleasantries and that Giuliani said he was “praying for him,” a statement loaded with condescension given the right’s history of Islamophobia. Mamdani, refusing to be drawn into divisive narratives, declined to elaborate on the conversation, instead centering the focus on families and first responders.
As the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani has been the target of xenophobic attacks from Republican leaders who have gone so far as to call his presence at the memorial offensive. After the ceremony, Mamdani addressed an interfaith service at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, powerfully recalling New Yorkers’ resilience and unity in the face of tragedy—values the right so often claims, yet undermines with their divisive rhetoric.