Brace for impact—Vice President JD Vance fired a sharp rebuke at New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani on October 25, 2025, igniting a firestorm over comments about 9/11, as Fox News reports.
As early voting kicked off in New York City on that day, Vance took to X to slam Mamdani, the leading candidate against Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, for remarks made at a campaign event on October 24, 2025, suggesting Mamdani framed his aunt as the true victim of the tragic 9/11 attacks.
The controversy began brewing earlier in the week, when on October 23, 2025, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared on WABC's "Sid & Friends in the Morning" and raised doubts about Mamdani’s capacity to steer the city through a major crisis akin to another 9/11.
During the radio segment, Cuomo pondered aloud, “Any given moment, there's a crisis, and people's lives are at stake. God forbid, there's another 9/11. Can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?”
Host Sid Rosenberg chimed in with a biting speculation that Mamdani might be “cheering” in such a scenario, to which Cuomo added, “That's another problem,” before doubling down on his skepticism about Mamdani’s readiness. While tough questions about leadership are fair game, this exchange risks veering into divisive territory—something conservatives should navigate with facts, not cheap shots.
Later that day, at a campaign gathering in Manhattan on October 23, 2025, Mamdani was pressed by a reporter on whether Cuomo’s remarks crossed a line into Islamophobia, to which he firmly agreed, calling the rhetoric not just biased but outright deplorable.
Mamdani didn’t hold back, stating, “Yes, I believe that they were. We're speaking about a former governor who, in his final moments in public life, is engaging in rhetoric that is not only Islamophobic, not only racist, it's also disgusting.” While his frustration is understandable, labeling criticism as bigotry can stifle honest debate—a tactic often overused in today’s hyper-sensitive political climate.
Fast forward to the campaign event on October 24, 2025, where Mamdani reflected on personal and communal struggles post-9/11, mentioning his aunt’s fear of riding the subway while wearing a hijab due to perceived hostility.
At the same event, Mamdani highlighted the daily contributions of Muslim New Yorkers—teachers and NYPD officers alike—who endure disrespect from city leaders despite their sacrifices for the community.
He also spoke to the experience of children growing up feeling like outsiders in the lingering aftermath of 9/11, burdened by suspicion and profiling that never seems coincidental, painting a picture of systemic alienation.
Enter Vance, who on October 25, 2025, shared a clip of Mamdani’s remarks on X, interpreting them as portraying Mamdani’s aunt as the primary sufferer from the 9/11 tragedy, a perspective Vance clearly found misplaced.
Fox News Digital sought a response from Mamdani’s campaign regarding Vance’s pointed critique, though no reply has been detailed as of yet.
As early voting commenced on October 25, 2025, the mayoral race’s front-runner status held by Mamdani against challengers Cuomo and Sliwa adds fuel to this already heated exchange of words.
This dust-up underscores a broader tension—balancing the real pain of post-9/11 discrimination with the undeniable horror of the attacks themselves. Conservatives must champion security and unity without dismissing genuine grievances, lest we cede the moral high ground to the progressive narrative machine.
In a city still scarred by that fateful day, leadership demands clarity and strength, not just empathy—voters deserve candidates who can tackle both personal and collective traumas without rewriting history’s darkest chapters. Let’s hope this race focuses on policy solutions, not just soundbites that divide.
