In the final days of the New York City mayoral race, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani is confronting significant backlash over a personal anecdote he shared about his family member’s fears following the 9/11 attacks, with Republicans and conservative media questioning the story’s accuracy and putting his credibility under scrutiny.
Mamdani recounted during a campaign speech that his aunt was too frightened to wear her hijab on the subway after the September 11, 2001, attacks, using the story to criticize his rival, independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, for appearing to laugh along with a radio host who suggested Mamdani would cheer another 9/11. This claim quickly drew mockery from national figures like Vice President JD Vance and sparked intense scrutiny on social media, where users flagged a LinkedIn profile of Mamdani’s paternal aunt that showed her without a head covering, leading to accusations of falsehood.
In response, Mamdani clarified that he was referring to his father’s cousin, whom he had always called his aunt, using the Urdu term ‘fuhi’ to describe the familial relationship. He defended the story as truthful during a tense radio interview on La Mega 97.9, where hosts pressed him on the discrepancy, with one asking how he could convince voters to support him if he had lied. Mamdani argued that the focus should be on the real issue of Islamophobia and the post-9/11 experiences of Muslim Americans, rather than semantic debates over family ties.
The controversy highlights the sensitivity of the 9/11 attacks in New York City 24 years later and how Mamdani has leaned into discussing his Muslim faith and South Asian upbringing during the campaign, as he vies to become the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor. He accused right-wing media and opponents of trying to discredit his story instead of addressing Cuomo’s attacks on his faith and suggestions that he would be soft on terrorism or crime, framing the pushback as evidence of broader resistance to Muslim representation.
Amid this, Cuomo’s campaign has indirectly benefited from super PACs like Defend NYC and Stop the Socialists, which are deploying aggressive ads labeling Mamdani a communist to appeal to Republican voters. These groups, backed by wealthy donors such as Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, have spent hundreds of thousands on text blasts and radio spots urging conservatives not to ‘waste their vote’ on GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa and instead support Cuomo, who trails Mamdani in polls.
As the election approaches on November 4, the focus on Mamdani’s personal story could influence undecided voters and shape the narrative around his candidacy, with implications for faith-based discourse in American politics. Mamdani has centered his campaign on promises to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund expanded social safety nets, positions that have sparked anxiety among conservatives and local business communities, while his stances on Israel and Gaza have fueled accusations of antisemitism.
The outcome may hinge on how effectively Mamdani navigates these controversies and maintains his coalition in a polarized political landscape, with the pushback over his anecdote underscoring the high stakes of the race and the challenges of addressing identity and trauma in public discourse.