On September 11, 2026, during the 25th anniversary commemoration of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani were filmed laughing as speakers read the names of those killed in the attacks.
The footage captured both officials chuckling while the names of victims—including the 3,000 Americans who perished that day—were recited. Critics have condemned their actions for demonstrating a profound lack of respect for American history and its traumatic past. Ocasio-Cortez was 12 years old on September 11, 2001, and Mamdani was an 10-year-old Ugandan-Indian immigrant at the time of the attacks.
Data from the Center for Immigration Studies reveals that the Muslim population in the United States has doubled since 2001, rising from 1.7 million to 3.4 million residents by 2024—a growth of 103 percent—outpacing other immigrant groups and raising concerns about assimilation. Mamdani’s past associations include a 2025 appearance with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, who was linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing plot and supported terrorist activities in the United States during the 1990s.
