Key facts
- Rudy Giuliani stated Mayor Zohran Mamdani should not attend the 9/11 memorial ceremony.
- Giuliani criticized Mamdani's Muslim faith, suggesting he was hiding it and drawing parallels to 9/11 hijackers.
- Mayor Mamdani confirmed he will attend the main 9/11 ceremony and other events.
- Mamdani stated his intention is to stand with the families of victims and first responders.
- Giuliani, a former mayor and ally of Donald Trump, made these remarks in an interview.
- Mamdani recently issued executive orders designating 9/11 as an annual "Day of Remembrance and Service".
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has publicly stated that current Mayor Zohran Mamdani should not attend the upcoming 9/11 memorial ceremony, citing Mamdani's Muslim faith. Giuliani, who led the city during the 2001 terrorist attacks, made the remarks in an interview with Newsmax, suggesting Mamdani's attendance offends him and that the mayor should skip the event.
Mamdani confirmed on Monday that he will attend the main ceremony and multiple 9/11 events, stating his intention to stand with the families of victims and first responders. He expressed pride in his city and country, emphasizing that the week should focus on honoring those lost and the first responders.
In the Newsmax interview, Giuliani questioned Mamdani's faith, drawing parallels between the mayor and the 9/11 hijackers and accusing Mamdani of hiding his beliefs. Giuliani, a close ally of Donald Trump, served as mayor from 1994 to 2001. Mamdani has previously spoken about the Islamophobic backlash following the 9/11 attacks, which he described as marking Muslim Americans as 'other'.
Recently, Mamdani issued an executive order designating 9/11 as an annual "Day of Remembrance and Service." Several public figures, including Giuliani and former Governor George Pataki, have voiced opposition to Mamdani's attendance, and a petition against it has garnered nearly 100,000 signatures. Dignitaries expected at the ceremony include former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Donald Trump is not expected to attend the New York ceremony but will commemorate the event at the Pentagon.