Republican New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino has sharply criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani, particularly concerning two executive orders related to the 9/11 anniversary. Paladino described the mayor's actions as a "total absolute farce."

Mamdani's executive orders establish the anniversary of the attacks as an annual "Citywide Day of Remembrance and Service" and update the city's emergency preparedness procedures. These initiatives have drawn criticism from some conservatives and relatives of 9/11 victims ahead of a planned memorial event.

Further controversy arose after the signing ceremony when Mamdani passed the pen used for the signing to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who then handed it to his chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem. Kassem has previously represented a convicted al-Qaeda member.

"Everything he does is planned out," Paladino stated in an interview, referring to the pen transfer as a "very cryptic message." She urged "New Yorkers to wake up."

Paladino expressed her dismay at the ceremony's location, stating, "Did you ever think in a million years that we would be standing on the steps of City Hall with the families of 9/11, the survivors of the 9/11 tragedy, sacred ground, and this guy is trying his best to try to fool us again? You’re not going to get away with this. This is out of control."

Earlier on Tuesday, Paladino had demanded that the mayor not attend the upcoming 9/11 ceremony, citing his associations with Kassem and controversial streamer Hasan Piker.

Addressing the mayor's intentions for the remembrance, Paladino told a news outlet, "We need to be able to see through this total absolute farce that they’re trying to pawn off on New Yorkers and across the country. I’m telling you, this was symbolism. It was cryptic, but it was a message."

She went on to articulate a disturbing interpretation of the mayor's actions: "I hate to even say this, Laura, but you know it’s a message to Osama bin Laden that, look, ‘We conquered New York.’ That’s how scary all of this really is to each and every one of us. New Yorkers need to wake up."

These criticisms come as a recent Suffolk University poll indicated that approximately 61% of respondents believe Mamdani has performed better than expected. Paladino, however, contested these findings, suggesting the poll did not reflect the views of "average middle white working-class people" and that the mayor manipulates a specific base of support.