New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing renewed scrutiny after a 2023 post marking the September 11 attacks resurfaced online, drawing criticism from victims' families and political figures ahead of this week's Ground Zero commemoration ceremony.
The post, originally published on X in 2023, referenced deaths and suffering caused by wars that followed the 2001 attacks. Mamdani wrote: '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.'
The controversy comes as Mamdani also faced backlash for interviewing Hasan Piker, who in 2019 said 'America deserved 9/11.' While Mamdani initially declined to condemn those remarks, he later called them 'objectionable and reprehensible.' He has stated he plans to attend the September 11 commemoration alongside Vice President JD Vance and former presidents.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive defenders of Mamdani have pointed to his broader message of mourning all victims of violence, arguing that acknowledging the civilian toll of post-9/11 military interventions represents a legitimate perspective on U.S. foreign policy rather than an endorsement of terrorism. Some liberal commentators noted that criticizing the decision to invade Iraq or Afghanistan does not diminish sympathy for those killed in the original attacks.
Others have framed the backlash as disproportionate, arguing that public officials should be able to discuss the complex consequences of military decisions without being disqualified from memorial ceremonies. The broader debate touches on whether commemorating 9/11 can include reflection on subsequent policy choices.
What the Right Is Saying
Critics have accused Mamdani of using the solemn anniversary to draw attention to wars that followed 9/11 while notably omitting reference to who carried out the attacks, with some describing his language as morally equivalent to those responsible for the deaths. Former Pentagon officials and first responders' advocates have been among the most vocal opponents.
"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," wrote Marc Thiessen, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. New York City Council Member Inna Vernikov said: "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."
Florida Rep. Randy Fine called Mamdani "Jihadi Mamdani" in a social media post, while former first lady Jill Biden's spokesperson Michael La Rosa wrote simply: "Is this real?" Fox News contributor and retired NYPD officer Paul Mauro urged Mamdani to stay away from the ceremony.
"Americans were MURDERED by TERRORISTS in the most horrific way," wrote Rep. Nancy Mace.
What the Numbers Show
The original September 11, 2001 attacks killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, according to official counts maintained by the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Mamdani's post referenced "hundreds of thousands" who died in subsequent wars.
The U.S. military interventions that followed—including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—resulted in estimated casualties ranging from roughly 176,000 to over 200,000 combatants and non-combatants combined, according to figures compiled by organizations including Brown University's Costs of War Project. Civilian death estimates from those conflicts vary significantly depending on methodology.
A Change.org petition organized by several victims' families had collected signatures as of this week, with organizers stating: "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."
The Bottom Line
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over how public officials should discuss September 11 and its aftermath. Mamdani, a socialist who ran on a progressive platform, has found himself at the center of a national debate weeks before New York City's commemoration.
Whether he attends the ceremony remains to be seen. His office has not issued additional statements beyond confirming his intention to participate. What is clear is that the controversy is unlikely to subside in coming days, as both critics and defenders prepare for what could be a highly charged moment at Ground Zero.