Trump, Mamdani and AOC Face Criticism Over Reactions to 9/11 Commemorations - Newsweek

President Donald Trump, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced backlash Friday over their appearances at 9/11 commemorations, with critics accusing them of inappropriate behavior.

At Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez faced criticism after footage appeared to show them smiling and laughing during the ceremony as the names of those killed in the attacks were read aloud.

Meanwhile, Trump was accused of falling asleep during a Pentagon 9/11 memorial ceremony, after images showing him with his eyes closed circulated online.

A Fox News clip of Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez, showing them appearing to smile at each other, was shared by several high-profile Republicans after the ceremony, claiming that they were not fit for public service if they were laughing during such a solemn occasion.

“How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud? Why would you do so?” Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz asked on X, alongside the clip.

“Why the f–k are these two laughing?!?” conservative commentator Meghan McCain also wrote on X, sharing the same video.

Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina posted a still from the video, adding that, "If laughing at Ground Zero while names are being read during the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is your thing, perhaps public service isn’t your calling."

However, one of the attendees at the event, who described himself as a "lifelong Republican," told Newsweek that the footage was taken out of context.

Michael Ragusa, a former EMT with the New York City Fire Department who ran an unsuccessful GOP New York City Council race in 2023, told Newsweek that the video simply showed Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, greeting Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

"AOC was standing in the back of the line, she waited for the proper time to come greet the mayor," he said. "That video is her greeting the mayor and that’s it."

Ragusa said that Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez remained very respectful, in contrast to "multiple Democrats and Republicans who I will not name were on their phones, laughing, talking while the names were being read."

"I was next to them for 2 hours," he added. "They were very respectful and stayed the entire time. I am a lifelong Republican saying this."

The criticism came as victims’ relatives and friends gathered at the memorial plaza to remember loved ones killed in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania in the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Mamdani's presence at the ceremony had already been politically contentious. Some relatives of 9/11 victims had urged the mayor to stay away from the anniversary events, while Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul defended his attendance.

“The mayor of New York City will be there, as he should be,” Hochul said.

Mamdani nevertheless attended Friday's ceremony, where he was also photographed shaking hands with Rudy Giuliani, who was the city's mayor on September 11, 2001.

The controversy surrounding Mamdani follows months of political disputes over his views and his handling of issues connected to terrorism and the city's response to the attacks.

Newsweek has reached out to Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez via email for comment on Friday.

Trump faced his own share of criticism over his behavior at a 9/11 memorial event in Virginia.

The president attended the 25th anniversary commemoration at the Pentagon alongside first lady Melania Trump. During the ceremony, television footage showed Trump sitting with his eyes closed for periods of time, prompting some viewers on social media to accuse him of falling asleep.

Images of the president quickly circulated online, with critics describing his appearance as disrespectful to the victims and their families. Others pushed back, arguing that the footage did not prove Trump had fallen asleep and noting that the president had attended a political event the previous evening.

The White House rejected claims that Trump had been sleeping.

A White House spokesman told Newsweek that Trump was “solemnly listening and remembering the victims and heroic first responders. Anyone ridiculously claiming the president was asleep is lying."

Trump's appearance was particularly notable given his long-running attacks on former President Joe Biden over questions surrounding Biden's age and alertness. Trump repeatedly used the nickname “Sleepy Joe” during Biden's presidency.

The competing controversies highlighted the intensely political atmosphere surrounding the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

At Ground Zero, political speeches are prohibited during the New York ceremony, which traditionally focuses on the victims and their families. At the Pentagon, however, Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the gathering after the names of the victims were read.

Vice President JD Vance attended the Ground Zero ceremony in New York, where he joined the four living former presidents—Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

For many families, however, the day's focus remained on remembering those who died.

The attacks on September 11, 2001, killed nearly 3,000 people after hijackers seized four commercial airplanes. Two planes were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, one struck the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew members attempted to retake control of the aircraft.

Twenty-five years later, ceremonies across the country once again brought survivors, first responders, relatives and political leaders together.

But the day's commemorations also demonstrated how difficult it remains for political figures to escape scrutiny over even fleeting moments caught on camera.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Dave Siminoff.