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AOC, Mamdani interaction caught on cam at 9/11 memorial sparks online fury

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., were lambasted Friday for appearing to share a moment of levity at the 9/11 Memorial in lower Manhattan during the solemn reading-of-the-names of victims. Mamdani was already facing criticism from some 9/11 victims’ families over his attendance when a television feed showing the reading of victims’ names cut from a young man sobbing at the memorial to the mayor and congresswoman appearing to grin and laugh as they spoke, though their conversation was inaudible. “Disgraceful,” said Steve Guest, a former top staffer for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. “AOC and Mamdani look happy.” MAMDANI HEADS TO 9/11 MEMORIAL DESPITE 110,000-SIGNATURE PUSH FROM VICTIMS’ FAMILIES TO STAY AWAY “They always show us who they really are,” another critic on X said. Others critics were more direct. “Why the f— are these two laughing?” Meghan McCain, daughter of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., asked. FAMILIES OF 9/11 VICTIMS’ MESSAGE TO MAMDANI: ‘PLEASE DO NOT COME’ TO MEMORIAL CEREMONY However, a top member of former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s entourage claimed that the video was taken out of context. “The videos of [them] laughing are not true. I was standing next to them the whole time,” tweeted Michael Ragusa, reportedly head of Giuliani’s security as of 2025, according to WPIX-11. “The camera just caught her greeting him hello. Multiple other politicians were laughing and joking behind me. Republicans and Democrats.” The Pittsburgh Republican Committee suggested on X that the sight was one of the reasons 9/11 victims families didn’t want the mayor there, while former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt also sounded off. ZOHRAN MAMDANI URGED TO SKIP NEW YORK CITY’S 9/11 MEMORIAL: ‘VILE ANTISEMITE’ “While normal Americans cry, commie Mamdani and AOC laugh it up at the 9/11 memorial in New York,” Pratt said. “They hate you. They hate your country. They enjoy your misery. We cannot allow these people to have power.” A New York City lawmaker added that she was outraged to see Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez acting that way. “After thousands of families of victims of terror beg Mamdani not to show up, he stands there and laughs while families weep,” said Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, R-Brighton Beach. “This is NYC’s Mayor.” RETIRED PORT AUTHORITY OFFICERS TELL MAMDANI, HOCHUL TO STAY AWAY FROM GROUND ZERO ON 9/11 Richard Sementa, better known as “Mr. Producer” for Mark Levin’s national radio show, tweeted, “Un-freaking believable.” Juanita Broaddrick called Mamdani and AOC “two disgusting degenerates” on X. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., who continues to criticize democratic socialists and opponents of Israel, called the mayor “Jihad Mamdani” and said he and the congresswoman should not be anywhere near Ground Zero. “They do not mourn this country, they mock it,” he tweeted. “Have some damn respect.” “As the names of Americans murdered on September 11th are read aloud at Ground Zero, AOC and Mamdani are laughing and smiling together,” said Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas. “There is a time and a place for politics. This isn’t it. Ground Zero is sacred ground.” “September 11 is not a photo op, it is not a networking event,” said Hunt. Separately, Mamdani was seen at other points standing somberly between New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and New York first gentleman William Hochul Jr. But critics continued pointing out what one called the “jarring split-screen” of the mayor joking around with Ocasio-Cortez a split-second after the mourner was seen sobbing over the shadow “fountain” at the footprint of the Twin Towers. “What exactly is funny?” former Trump White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson asked. Former NYPD cop and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro tweeted what he envisioned the two discussing. “Zo[hran]: You’re not buying into this ‘never again’ bull— are you? AOC: ‘No, not me,’ Hilarity ensues.” SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER It was not immediately clear what the two politicians were chatting about at that moment. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez for comment.

At Ground Zero, 9/11 families turn to Trump as Obama’s old decision resurfaces

On a cloudy morning at the site where two sprawling towers once stood, the loved ones of New Yorkers killed on 9/11 gathered with a message for President Donald Trump: Release the unredacted files they believe could implicate Saudi Arabia. Vice President JD Vance attended the ceremony alongside former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton, as well as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo were also among those in attendance. The message was delivered on the main stage by Terry Strada, whose husband, Tom, was killed in the attacks. Speaking from the memorial stage, Strada accused successive administrations of protecting Saudi Arabia instead of supporting the 9/11 families. Strada called out President Barack Obama, who was at the memorial, for vetoing the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, in 2016. Congress later overrode the veto, allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia over its alleged role in the attacks. TRUMP SET TO HONOR 9/11 VICTIMS, FIRST RESPONDERS AT PENTAGON ON 25TH ANNIVERSARY “Administration after administration, including leaders in front of us here today, chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families,” Strada said. “They withheld evidence. They vetoed JASTA. They broke promises, both public and private. It has been one betrayal after another. “President Trump can still change that” She urged the president to tell Saudi leaders “that if they want to be friends with the USA, they cannot continue to deny all of this, all of the pain, all of the destruction that we have all been suffering through.” “Please carry that message back,” another speaker said, addressing Vance. “Stand with the families. Stand with the survivors.” The remarks drew applause from the crowd. “Administration after administration has not done anything for us. In fact, they’ve blocked, blocked us every step of the way of getting justice,” Dennis McGinley, whose older brother Danny worked on the 89th floor of the South Tower, told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has a unique, historic opportunity here to be a hero, be our champion, finally close the books on this American nightmare, which is now becoming an American embarrassment. It’s got to start.” The appeal came as families marked the 25th anniversary of the attacks with a renewed push for accountability from Saudi Arabia, which they accuse of helping two of the hijackers establish themselves in the United States. The kingdom has repeatedly denied involvement. The families’ claims center on Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national who helped hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar obtain an apartment in San Diego, and Fahad al-Thumairy, an accredited Saudi diplomat and imam at the King Fahd Mosque in California who had numerous contacts with al-Bayoumi. The 9/11 Commission documented the men’s connections but did not conclude that the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials supported the plot. Its report also said investigators found no evidence that another Saudi national, Osama Bassnan, gave money to the hijackers. Newly released investigative material and evidence presented in a long-running civil case have intensified scrutiny of those connections. In August 2025, U.S. District Judge George Daniels allowed claims against Saudi Arabia to proceed, finding that the families had presented enough evidence to move toward trial. The ruling did not determine that Saudi Arabia was responsible for the attacks. The families say that legal ruling, along with additional FBI and British intelligence material, gives Trump an opportunity to release more records and help resolve what they view as a 25-year-old betrayal. SON WHO LOST FATHER IN 9/11 ATTACKS SHARES POWERFUL LESSONS 25 YEARS LATER: ‘I’M STILL HERE’ For Passananti, the demand was inseparable from his own loss. His father, Horace Robert Passananti, was working on the 100th floor of the North Tower. Passananti was 32 when he called his father after hearing that a plane had struck the building. He never heard from him again. Passananti said he has attended the ceremony every year but one since the attacks. “I wish I wasn’t here, obviously, but I feel like I have to be here every year,” he told Fox News Digital. Passananti, who is affiliated with the group 9/11 Justice, said families want those responsible for the attacks held accountable. “We’ve really been on our own — the families — trying to obtain evidence,” Passananti said. “We’ve gotten really no help from our government. We feel like they’ve put Saudi Arabia ahead of the 9/11 families, and we’re hoping that will change.” TRUMP CONFIRMS PENTAGON PLANS FOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 ATTACKS, DISPUTES REPORT ON GROUND ZERO ABSENCE He described the delays in the case as “a twilight zone.” “It feels really like a twilight zone and unbelievable that we have to fight for justice for the worst terrorist attack that ever happened on our soil,” Passananti said. “It doesn’t feel real. It’s unexplainable.” Trump has previously acknowledged that questions remain unanswered about the attacks. In 2022, while defending his decision to host a Saudi-backed LIV Golf tournament at his New Jersey club amid protests from 9/11 families, Trump said, “Nobody has gotten to the bottom of 9/11.” But Trump has not publicly said whether he supports releasing additional files concerning Saudi Arabia’s alleged ties to the hijackers. “President Trump is leading the most transparent administration in history, which is why he authorized the declassification and release of hundreds of pages of documents related to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The President will always pay tribute to the American heroes we lost in the tragic September 11 attacks, their beautiful family members, and to the acts of heroism that defined that fateful day when the unbreakable spirit of the American people prevailed,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said in a statement to Fox News Digital. McGinley worked across the Hudson River and called his brother after seeing the first plane hit, believing it was a small aircraft. His brother told him it was a passenger jet and described

Mamdani draws fury from 9/11 mourners over Ground Zero appearance: ‘Disrespectful’

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s presence at Friday’s 9/11 remembrance at Ground Zero drew criticism from some in the city, including one former police officer who said the mayor “probably should have skipped it” and another mourner who called his appearance “disrespectful” and “very offensive.” Mamdani has faced criticism over his associations with controversial political and online figures, as well as his decision to appoint Ramzi Kassem as his administration’s chief counsel. Kassem previously represented a Guantánamo detainee linked to an al Qaeda terrorist plot. Former New York Republican Gov. George Pataki, 9/11-era FDNY Commissioner Thomas von Essen and others called on Mamdani to skip the ceremony. “He showed up anyway. It does bother us,” Walter Matuza, whose father Walter was killed that day, told Fox News Digital. MAMDANI HEADS TO 9/11 MEMORIAL DESPITE 110,000-SIGNATURE PUSH FROM VICTIMS’ FAMILIES TO STAY AWAY Matuza said he was part of the group of victims’ families that initiated the petition to keep Mamdani away. He cited Mamdani’s association with streamer Hasan Piker, who once said America “deserved 9/11,” as well as Mamdani’s appointment of Kassem. MAMDANI UNDER FIRE AFTER SYMBOLIC 9/11 PEN GOES TO FORMER AL QAEDA DEFENSE LAWYER Matuza, of Staten Island, said his father was one of dozens at Carr Futures brokerage who died after American Airlines Flight 11 struck the north tower just above their 92nd floor offices. Mike, a former New Jersey police officer, told Fox News Digital he recalled watching the terror unfold on television from across the Hudson – and later came to Manhattan to help relieve exhausted NYPD officers stuck at their posts. “Based on the rhetoric that he’s used in the past. Yeah, he probably should have skipped it,” Mike said of Mamdani. He added that Mamdani’s appointment of Kassem also troubled him, saying the mayor could’ve handled the situation in a “whole different way.” FAMILIES OF 9/11 VICTIMS’ MESSAGE TO MAMDANI: ‘PLEASE DO NOT COME’ TO MEMORIAL CEREMONY “But, he did it and unfortunately people aren’t going to forget it.” Another mourner called Mamdani a “communist” when asked about his appearance on Friday, adding that the memorial was “not supposed to be a political event.” Steven, who traveled all the way to New York from Hobe Sound, Florida, to attend the remembrance, lambasted Mamdani’s presence as “disrespectful” and “offensive.” ZOHRAN MAMDANI URGED TO SKIP NEW YORK CITY’S 9/11 MEMORIAL: ‘VILE ANTISEMITE’ “I’ve been following that over the past couple weeks and I saw that I think they had upwards of 700,000 New Yorkers requesting him not to be here. I mean, as the mayor, I would assume he has the right to be here…. But who he represents and the people he’s affiliated with… I feel that he should stay away. I don’t feel that his presence here is wanted, and I think he should honor that as a human being.” The petition had garnered more than 110,000 signatures at the time, according to the petition’s tally. Steven called Kassem’s appointment “hideous” and added that the youngest generation who does not remember or did not live through 9/11 are suffering from “incorrect information” and do not understand the reality of the terror attack. He said he will educate his children on 9/11 so that they do not go down the same ideological road. Attendee John told Fox News Digital that Mamdani does have a right to attend. John said he lost friends including at now-Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s Cantor-Fitzgerald firm – which lost more than 650 people; the most of any company in the Twin Towers that day – and that as long as Mamdani is respectful to the fallen Americans being remembered, he is “fine” with the Democrat attending. Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani for comment. In a prior statement, the mayor said he is proud of New York and “love[s] this city [and] country.” “[W]hat I want this week to be a focus on is on the families whose loved ones were stolen from them 25 years ago in the horrific act of terror of September 11, and a focus also on the first responders who gave everything they could to this city and to the people who came together to try and help their fellow New Yorkers.” During the ceremony, footage captured Mamdani approaching and greeting his 9/11-era predecessor, Republican Rudolph Giuliani. SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER The two could be seen appearing to exchange brief pleasantries before Giuliani turned and sat down and an aide began speaking to the incumbent mayor. All living former presidents reportedly attended the ceremony, as President Donald Trump instead visited the Pentagon’s remembrance before departing for County Clare, Ireland from nearby Andrews Air Force Base.

Reporter’s Notebook: Countdown is on as Senate races to pass crypto, college sports bills

It’s a twofer in the Senate. Senators return to Washington Monday for the first time since the wee hours of Aug. 8. The Senate’s slated to meet for three weeks before heading home for the midterms — if the session even goes that long. There are a lot of items senators want to tackle. But only two big ones are lined up for test votes right now. The first legislative vote is locked in. It’s a procedural vote on a measure to regulate cryptocurrency. That comes Tuesday afternoon. The bill needs 60 votes to be in play. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: SUMMER ENDS, BUT THE SENATE’S FALL CRUNCH BEGINS There’s no bigger advocate for cryptocurrency than President Trump. He’s pushing for the Senate to move legislation. “We ended the war on crypto once and for all,” said the President. “Now we need Congress to take the next step by passing the Clarity Act.” Let’s clarify what the Clarity Act does. The measure clarifies federal rules for digital currencies and tokens. The framework would divide oversight between two regulators: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CTFC). Approval of the bill would be the first step toward establishing guardrails for cryptocurrency. “We passed the Clarity Act in the House last summer with 78 Democratic votes. It’s now time for the Senate to join us,” said House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill, R-Ark., on Fox Business. The package has bipartisan support. But there’s a roadblock coming from the Democrats. “The one remaining significant issue, I think, is the ethics provision,” said Hill. President Trump’s own financial disclosure report reveals he earned $1.4 billion on cryptocurrency last year alone. That’s why Democrats want specific rules for the Trump family and crypto. “It basically exempts the President from any kind of ethical constraints. And that’s just not going to fly in the Democratic caucus,” said Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., says the bill is too closely aligned with what the President and his industry allies want. “Yes. We need crypto legislation. But not this legislation that has been written by this industry,” said Warren. “I just don’t see how anyone, Democrat or Republican, moves forward on this bill.” That’s why many doubt the measure can score 60 votes twice to break a filibuster. The naysaying aggravates cryptocurrency advocates. “This is the right bill at the right time, and it’s time to vote,” said Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wy. She argues that crypto supporters bowed to demands to firm up ethics rules. “In 2023, we added 100 pages with stronger consumer protection provisions. Yet we got feedback from colleagues that they wanted more. So again, we listened. Today, this bill that was under 300 pages is more than 600 pages. That’s hundreds of pages built over 11 months of daily bipartisan negotiations in windowless rooms where colleagues from both parties shared their priorities, and we worked diligently to incorporate them,” said an exasperated Lummis. Warren argues that the bill makes it easier for drug runners and terrorists to fund their operations — without a literal paper trail. TED CRUZ URGES SENATE TO STAY IN WASHINGTON UNTIL PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT PASSES THIS WEEK Lummis says if the U.S. doesn’t establish its cryptocurrency blueprint, digital assets could flee overseas. “These companies can go to Singapore, Switzerland, the UAE and have a well-understood clear set of regulations,” said Lummis. So that test vote is locked in. But it’s rare to pass a major financial regulatory measure this close to the midterms. And if Democrats prevail in November, that could create friction with the White House. The Senate also expects a test vote before the end of September on a bill to regulate money in college sports. But there’s no specific agreement on a date for that roll call tally. You know the old saying that there’s no such thing as bad publicity? Well, the “bad” publicity surrounding college football could potentially provide this legislation a boost. President Trump implored senators to stay in Washington to finish the bill last month. But it wasn’t ready. However, controversies over former pro players heading back to college — to say nothing of clock maintenance at the University of Michigan — could prod skeptical senators to give this measure another look. Let’s start with LSU tight end Dae’Quan Wright. If you can keep up with him. Last year, Wright played for current LSU head coach Lane Kiffin last year at Ole Miss — before Kiffin abandoned his squad late in the season for the Tigers. Wright decided to go pro. The Philadelphia Eagles picked him up in the spring. But then waved Wright early last month. The Cleveland Browns then signed Wright. He dressed for a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. Never played a snap. Then the Browns cut him. So, Wright headed back to school. But this time, at LSU. “I’m just putting on a college uniform again and going out there and having fun and embracing my opportunity,” said Wright. A judge then cleared Wright and former Ole Miss defensive lineman Zxavian Harris to play for LSU this fall. But in between, Harris appeared in preseason camp with the New Orleans Saints — before the team waived him. Drew Rosenhaus is Wright’s agent. He believes his client had no other option after his brief cup of coffee in the pros. “His contract with the NFL was terminated,” said Rosenhaus. “If he was still able to play in the NFL, he would be there.” Chaos like this is prodding lawmakers to try to regulate intercollegiate athletics. “It’s not fair to the high school kids coming out to play college ball if you suddenly have colleges that are going and recruiting from the NFL,” said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Cruz teamed up with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the top Democrat on the Commerce panel, to craft the college athletics regulation measure. One big restriction: the legislation limits athletes to one

BRICS Summit 2026: PM Modi to hold 15 bilateral meetings with Putin, Xi and other leaders from Sept 11-13; Check full list here

PM Modi has a packed 15-meeting schedule for the BRICS Summit in Delhi from September 11-13, with key bilaterals lined up.

Satya Niketan Building Collapse: 3 accused taken for medical check-up ahead of court hearing today

The three accused, including the son of the building owner, had been in police custody for the past two days. Following the completion of their medical examination, they are scheduled to be taken to court, where police are expected to seek further directions in the case.

Delhi-NCR Weather Update: Rain, thunderstorm to lash National Capital in next 3 hours, IMD issues red alert

Delhi is already experiencing overcast conditions, with rain and thunderstorm activity likely to intensify in the afternoon. According to the IMD, northern parts of Delhi are expected to witness light to moderate rain with thunderstorm and lightning in the next one hour.

Author: shailender