As Friday morning's solemn ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11 unfolded at the Ground Zero Memorial, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani proceeded to spit upon the victims' memory and their families by yuking it up with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) in the middle of the reading of the names of the victims who lost their lives on that fateful day.
As my RedState colleague Kyle Becker reported, thousands of New Yorkers asked Mamdani to stay home, but he insisted on being there.
Mamdani rejected the calls for him to stay away, saying he would attend to honor the victims, survivors and first responders. His aides said he planned to remain at Ground Zero until all of the victims’ names had been read.
So much for all of that.
Becker noted some of the backlash, but as more footage of that tone-deaf moment went viral, the more outraged people have become. Some still find it hard to believe the double standard at play.
OMG! Did Zohran Mamdani and AOC LAUGH as names were read during the NYC Sept 11 ceremony?!
— Peter Matthews (@PMatthews1776) September 11, 2026
Imagine the elitist media mob’s outrage if JD Vance and Lauren Boebert were in this situation. Or if this was a Jan 6 ceremony.
It would be a national scandal. pic.twitter.com/6xyzyMsTev
Indeed. If that were the case — and we know it never would be — it would be headlining every show from CNN's The Lead with Fake Yapper Jake Tapper to MS NOW's Rachel Maddow.
Former Bush White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer reminds us of the disrespect shown by a Democrat president at another sacred ceremony of the fallen. Fleischer also emphasized that to the Left, this is a feature, not a bug.
Biden checks his watch at Dover Air Force Base.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) September 11, 2026
Mamdani and AOC laugh at Ground Zero.
THIS is the “loyal” opposition. https://t.co/9nELIydhX6
FL Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) made note of this disconnect.
Mamdani and AOC seem to be having the time of their lives while everyone else is paying respects to the deceased. https://t.co/nG3PhtTbK3
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) September 11, 2026
Both Mamdani and AOC well know the difference between social hour and a hallowed moment. But as Republican Rep. Mary Miller (IL-15) observed, they simply Do. Not. Care.
As the names of 9/11 victims were read at Ground Zero, AOC and Mamdani stood laughing as if the ceremony were a joke.
— Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) September 11, 2026
They have nothing but contempt for our heroes, our history, and our country. pic.twitter.com/88dNG7jcsN
Which begs the question: Do we want this type of person in office, or failing up to an even higher office? It is clear AOC has presidential aspirations. But if she cannot appropriately comport herself for a 9/11 ceremony, how would she manage to do so at a state dinner or a dignified transfer? As my mother used to say, you cannot create a silk purse from a sow's ear. AOC is as big of a fraud and a poser as Mamdani. The only difference is that she wears killer lipstick.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is also scratching his head over these two.
How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud?
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 11, 2026
Why would you do so? https://t.co/gOec2hA8Lo
But it is Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26) who hits the nail on the head.
Imagine telling a New Yorker in 2001 that in 25 years, we will have imported so many people from the third-world that their mayor would be a Muslim communist who giggles like a little girl while the names of the victims are honored during the 9/11 Memorial ceremony. https://t.co/UDK8hW00OW
— Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) September 11, 2026
Several commenters made an astute observation: Mamdani demanded to be there for the sole purpose of mocking the ceremony in this way.
10 years ago I stood in this same spot. I wasn’t there for the reading of names, but it was still somber. The people who surrounded that area spoke in whispers, if they spoke at all. It was very quiet. Mamdani and AOC laughing while there on this anniversary of true terrorism is… pic.twitter.com/NcOkUC164J
— Mouse (@mouseismighty) September 11, 2026
10 years ago I stood in this same spot. I wasn’t there for the reading of names, but it was still somber. The people who surrounded that area spoke in whispers, if they spoke at all. It was very quiet. Mamdani and AOC laughing while there on this anniversary of true terrorism is absolutely disgusting. Mamdani was asked to stay home. That would have been the respectful decision but he has no respect for our country. He is here to mock and destroy. AOC can never be given more power.
I don’t really care what the context is here, it’s the perfect juxtaposition and distillation of who AOC and Zohran Mamdani are. While many still grieve over the loss of American lives and the fundamental changing of the world as we know it at the hands of Islamic terrorists, the… https://t.co/SADUHyNJPq
— Sam Martinez (@SamHMart) September 11, 2026
I don’t really care what the context is here, it’s the perfect juxtaposition and distillation of who AOC and Zohran Mamdani are. While many still grieve over the loss of American lives and the fundamental changing of the world as we know it at the hands of Islamic terrorists, the new Communist-Muslim alliance laughs at our pain.
Former L.A. mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt concurred with other commenters that the disrespect was planned, and neither Mamdani nor AOC should be near power ever again. Pratt was on point in his distillation of this communist-Marxist alliance.
While normal Americans cry, commie Mamdani and AOC laugh it up at the 9/11 memorial in New York.
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) September 11, 2026
They hate you. They hate your country. They enjoy your misery. We cannot allow these people to have power. pic.twitter.com/BgW6Vj7Cnx
Guess those "racist" family members who did not want Mamdani anywhere near this ceremony were right all along.
Turns out, the "bigots" demanding that Commie Mamdani be barred from the 9/11 memorial were 100% right. This sick America-hating freak needs to go. https://t.co/NCKFeq5vY0
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) September 11, 2026
New York City is stuck with Mamdani for another three years, but this behavior could tank his chances of ever getting a second term. AOC is a whole other problem.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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