Republican senators are aligning with a petition initiated by families of 9/11 victims, calling for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be excluded from the upcoming 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony at Ground Zero.
Several families of those who died in the 2001 terrorist attacks launched an online petition urging the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to prohibit Mamdani's participation in the commemorative events. The petition outlines eight specific concerns regarding Mamdani, including allegations that he has not directly condemned the phrase "globalize the intifada," has associated with individuals described as extremist and anti-American, and that his viewpoints are influenced by his father's past statements on suicide bomber remarks and comparisons between the U.S. and al-Qaeda.
When asked about the efforts to exclude Mamdani, senators on Capitol Hill noted their concerns. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., suggested Mamdani might only be appropriate at the event "while wearing a paper bag over his head." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stated, "I mean I can't defend anything that guy says or does." Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., commented that Mamdani's "opinions on America's place in the world are pretty different than probably most of those families feel." Sheehy also claimed Mamdani has "platformed Islamic extremism, and he openly supports Hamas, as does his wife," further asserting that Hamas is a central group among Muslim extremists.
The families' petition also references claims of Mamdani praising and appointing individuals linked to radical Islam, his remarks suggesting the U.S. contributed to the radicalization of al-Qaeda propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki, and his recent endorsement of democratic socialist Darializa Aria Chevalier.
According to the petition's text, "Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani’s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy."
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., expressed understanding for the families' sentiments, stating, "I think he has said some pretty disgusting things and seems to be on that trend line that he's going to talk like that more and more."
As of Monday evening, the petition had garnered over 82,000 signatures. Sheehy reiterated his stance, saying, "As far as I'm concerned, he's a disgrace and an embarrassment to the country, but we'll see if he shows up, right?" He also added, "At the end of the day, those families should have the say who's going to show up and honor the memory of their own families."
Mamdani has previously faced criticism from Republican lawmakers for his refusal to call for Hamas to lay down its weapons and for allegations of antisemitism. According to CBS News, Mamdani indicated he still plans to attend this year's 9/11 commemoration. Mamdani's office did not respond to requests for comment.