New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is refusing to back down amid a growing political controversy surrounding the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Mamdani confirmed that he plans to attend the solemn 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Ground Zero despite former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani publicly arguing that he should stay away.
Giuliani, a longtime ally and former attorney of President Donald Trump, has unleashed blistering criticism of Mamdani ahead of the anniversary. Mamdani, however, is making clear that the controversy will not change his plans.
The confrontation adds another political dispute to what is supposed to be a day dedicated to remembering the nearly 3,000 innocent people killed on September 11, 2001, along with the first responders and countless Americans whose lives were forever changed by the attacks.
Mamdani Responds to Giuliani
A reporter pressed Mamdani about Giuliani’s remarks and asked the mayor to respond to accusations that he should not participate in Friday’s memorial.
Mamdani largely avoided firing back at the former mayor.
Instead, he emphasized his affection for New York and the United States.
“I’m proud to be the mayor of this city. I love this city. I love this country,” Mamdani said.
The mayor said he wants the anniversary to remain focused on the families who lost loved ones and the first responders who risked everything when terrorists attacked the United States 25 years ago.
Mamdani then made clear that he would attend the Ground Zero ceremony.
He noted that he participated in the memorial last year and intends to return this year as mayor.
When the reporter again asked whether he wanted to respond directly to Giuliani, Mamdani declined to escalate his answer.
“I don’t have much more to add,” he said.
Giuliani Says Mamdani Should Stay Away
Giuliani has taken a dramatically different approach.
The former mayor, who led New York City during the September 11 attacks and their immediate aftermath, said during a Newsmax appearance that Mamdani should not attend the ceremony.
Giuliani pointed to his personal connection to the tragedy, including friends he lost and relationships he developed with victims’ families.
“Having lost friends there, and being very close to many of the families, it offends me that he’s coming,” Giuliani said.
Giuliani also criticized Mamdani’s views regarding the nature of the September 11 attacks and went on to make sweeping accusations concerning Islam and Mamdani’s Muslim faith.
Those remarks quickly turned what was already a heated political disagreement into an even larger controversy.
Mamdani has so far chosen not to engage directly with Giuliani’s comments about his religion.
9/11 Remains Deeply Personal for Millions of Americans
The political argument comes ahead of an especially significant anniversary.
September 11, 2026, marks 25 years since al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes in a coordinated attack against the United States.
Two planes slammed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City. Another struck the Pentagon, while United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew members fought the hijackers.
Nearly 3,000 innocent people were killed.
For millions of Americans old enough to remember that Tuesday morning, the images remain impossible to forget: smoke pouring from the Twin Towers, firefighters rushing toward danger, terrified Americans searching for loved ones, and communities across the country coming together in the aftermath.
Giuliani became one of the most recognizable political figures in America during that period because of his highly visible role as New York City’s mayor.
That history helps explain why his latest comments have attracted significant attention.
Mamdani Moves Forward With 9/11 Plans
Despite the criticism, Mamdani has taken several official actions ahead of the anniversary.
His administration recently designated September 11 as an annual “Day of Remembrance and Service” in New York City, with the stated goal of honoring victims, survivors, first responders, city workers and families affected by the attacks.
The mayor has also said he intends to participate in multiple remembrance events.
Opposition to his attendance extends beyond Giuliani. Other political figures have criticized Mamdani’s participation, while an online petition seeking to keep him away from the ceremonies has attracted tens of thousands of signatures.
None of that appears to have changed the mayor’s decision.
A Political Battle Ahead of a Solemn Anniversary
The disagreement illustrates the intense political divisions surrounding Mamdani since he became mayor.
But September 11 carries a significance extending far beyond today’s political battles.
Twenty-five years after terrorists attacked American soil, thousands of families continue to live with the consequences of that morning. First responders and others exposed to hazardous conditions around Ground Zero have also suffered serious illnesses in the decades since the attacks.
Mamdani says those Americans — rather than the political controversy surrounding him — should receive the attention this week.
Giuliani clearly believes the mayor’s presence raises questions that cannot simply be ignored.
Now both men are expected to move forward with plans surrounding the anniversary, guaranteeing that the dispute will remain in the spotlight as New York prepares to commemorate one of the darkest days in American history.
Whatever Americans think about the politicians involved, the central purpose of September 11 remains unchanged: honoring the innocent lives taken, remembering the extraordinary courage of first responders and ensuring that future generations understand what happened that day.
Twenty-five years later, America has not forgotten.