President Donald Trump criticized Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for what appeared to be laughter during the reading of names at the 9/11 Memorial. He labeled their behavior as “terrible” and indicated it was inappropriate for the occasion.
“I think it’s terrible,” Trump remarked when shown a video of the two Democrats. “It’s not a place to be laughing, especially in that case,” he added, expressing disappointment that they showed amusement during such a significant part of the ceremony.
This reaction from the president followed the emergence of a video showing Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani seemingly engaged in a lighthearted moment at Ground Zero, which led to significant backlash online.
During the memorial service, a live feed captured a young man visibly emotional at the memorial, before shifting to a shot of Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez smiling and appearing to laugh, although their conversation was inaudible.
As mourners read the names of those lost in the September 11, 2001, attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, nearly 3,000 individuals were remembered on this 25th anniversary. The video quickly circulated on social media, where many criticized the pair for what they perceived as disrespect on such a solemn day.
Representative Wesley Hunt from Texas commented on X, saying, “As the names of Americans murdered on September 11th are read aloud at Ground Zero, AOC and Mamdani are laughing and smiling together.” He pointed out that there is a time and place for politics, declaring, “This isn’t it. Ground Zero is sacred ground.” He emphasized that these events are not meant for photo opportunities or networking.
Meghan McCain also responded to the video, questioning on X, “Why the f— are these two laughing?”
New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Republican, similarly condemned the moment, stating, “After thousands of families of victims of terror beg Mamdani not to show up, he stands there and laughs while families weep.” Mamdani had faced resistance from some victims’ families prior to the ceremony, as a petition with over 110,000 signatures urged him to stay away. Nevertheless, he attended and participated in the ceremony.
Despite the uproar, Michael Ragusa, a former member of ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s team, defended the two, claiming their laughter was misinterpreted. “The videos of [them] laughing are not true,” he wrote on X, asserting he was next to them throughout the event. He maintained that the camera simply captured Ocasio-Cortez greeting Mamdani and mentioned other politicians were also joking in the background.
Mamdani appeared solemn at various times during the ceremony, and it’s unclear what was exchanged between him and Ocasio-Cortez during their brief interaction.
