Brief interaction between NYC Mayor Mamdani and AOC captured on video at 9/11 ceremony stirs up debate

A brief interaction between New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez captured on video Friday during a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, sparked fierce criticism that was met with pushback from those who say the video was taken out of context.

The clip of Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez at Ground Zero lasted four seconds in the live video feed, which transitioned between multiple camera angles of the ceremony.

They were seen greeting each other with smiles while the names of the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center were being read aloud. There is no audio in the video feed of their interaction.

CNN has reached out to representatives for Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez for comment.

Their exchange has prompted debate around the moment, with some Republicans criticizing the two New York Democrats for what they called inappropriate laughter and others saying that characterization is false.

Brendan McDermid/Reuters

America marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11

The former head of security for Rudy Giuliani – who was the city’s mayor during the terror attacks – said videos of the two leaders “laughing are not true.”

Michael Ragusa wrote on social media he was standing next to Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez for the entire ceremony.

“The camera just caught her greeting him hello. Multiple other politicians were laughing and joking behind me. Republicans and Democrats,” Ragusa said on X.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz reposted the video clip on X, saying, “How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud?”

Another attendee, former Democratic New York State Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, condemned the criticism as “ridiculous talking points.”

She noted most politicians don’t stay for the duration of the ceremony, but Mamdani “stayed for every name and even stayed after to talk to families for 45 minutes.”

Ocasio-Cortez also stayed until the end, Niou wrote on X , adding the brief interaction with Mamdani “was just when she walked up to him and said hello.”

Another criticism came from Meghan McCain, conservative television personality and daughter of the late Republican Sen. John McCain. “Why the f**k are these two laughing?!?” she wrote on X.

Niou, however, said she has attended the Ground Zero ceremony every year for the past decade, adding: “My friends and neighbors are not crying for 6 hours straight.”

“We are greeting each other, hugging each other, laughing at the memories and the jokes the families tell remembering their loved ones,” Niou said.

Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images

In the moments before the ceremony began, Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, walked over to Giuliani to shake his hand at the Ground Zero ceremony.

The brief moment was also caught by cameras and reaction was swift on social media, with some praising Mamdani for showing grace to the man who just a few days prior had compared him to 9/11 hijackers and said his presence at the memorial ceremony would be offensive.

Aides to the mayor said Mamdani and Giuliani “exchanged pleasantries,” and that Giuliani told Mamdani that the job of being mayor was hard.

Beth A. Keiser/AFP/Getty Images

NYC Mayor Mamdani releases 9/11 records showing officials misled New Yorkers about air quality around Ground Zero

Friday’s exchange appeared to offer a brief pause on the political rancor of the past weeks.

An aide to Giuliani said the former mayor told Mamdani he was “praying for him.”

Speaking briefly with reporters after the event, Mamdani declined to share what the former mayor had said to him.

“He came over and we both extended our hands and exchanged pleasantries,” Mamdani said, according to remarks shared by his office.

“I think the focus for all of us is a focus on the families, a focus on first responders and to be here and hear the names of all those who were stolen from us 25 years ago and how the families have persevered through that time. I am truly in awe of all that these families have given us.”

Mamdani has faced partisan rancor around his attendance at the ceremony for weeks.

Giuliani previously said Mamdani attending the commemoration “offends” him, while George Pataki, state governor during the disaster, said Mamdani should stay away. Bruce Blakeman, a candidate for governor, had vowed to turn his back on the mayor if he turns up.

Later in the day after attending the ceremony, Mamdani spoke at an interfaith memorial service at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, the only house of worship that was destroyed on 9/11.

Mamdani recalled the resiliency of New Yorkers in the aftermath of the tragedy as he spoke. “Those who attacked our city, they did so because they thought they could break us at the fractures,” he said.

“They thought they could frighten us. They could make us feel alone. They could leave us on our knees,” Mamdani said. “How wrong they were. How quick we were to stand back up.”

CNN’s Gloria Pazmino and Elise Hammond contributed to this report.

周五，在纪念 2001 年 9 月 11 日恐怖袭击事件 25 周年的仪式上，纽约市市长佐兰·马姆达尼和众议员亚历山大·奥卡西奥-科尔特斯之间的一段简短互动被视频记录下来，引发了激烈的批评，一些人对此表示，这段视频被断章取义。

在直播视频中，马姆达尼和奥卡西奥-科尔特斯在世贸中心遗址的画面持续了四秒钟，直播画面在仪式的多个摄像机角度之间切换。

在宣读世贸中心袭击事件遇难者名单时，人们看到他们面带微笑地互相问候。这段视频没有声音。

CNN已联系马姆达尼和奥卡西奥-科尔特斯的代表寻求置评。

他们的交锋引发了关于此事的辩论，一些共和党人批评这两位纽约民主党人发出不恰当的笑声，而另一些人则表示这种说法不实。

布伦丹·麦克德米德/路透社

美国纪念9/11事件25周年

鲁迪·朱利安尼（恐怖袭击发生时担任该市市长）的前安保主管表示，有关这两位领导人“大笑”的视频“并非事实”。

Michael Ragusa 在社交媒体上写道，在整个仪式期间，他都站在 Mamdani 和 Ocasio-Cortez 旁边。

“摄像机正好拍到她向他问好。我身后还有好几位政客在说笑，有共和党人也有民主党人，”拉古萨在X频道上说道。

德克萨斯州参议员特德·克鲁兹在 X 上转发了这段视频，并说道：“当 9/11 事件遇难者的名字被大声念出来时，你怎么能笑得出来？”

另一位与会者，前纽约州民主党议员牛毓琳谴责这些批评是“荒谬的论调”。

她指出，大多数政客都不会全程参加仪式，但马姆达尼“全程聆听了每一个名字，甚至在仪式结束后还留下来与家属交谈了 45 分钟”。

Niou 在 X 上写道，奥卡西奥-科尔特斯也一直待到最后，并补充说，她与马姆达尼的短暂互动“只是她走到他面前说了声你好”。

另一位批评者是保守派电视名人、已故共和党参议员约翰·麦凯恩的女儿梅根·麦凯恩。她在X网站上写道：“这两个人他妈的在笑什么？！”

然而，牛女士表示，过去十年她每年都参加世贸中心遗址纪念仪式，并补充说：“我的朋友和邻居们不会连续哭6个小时。”

“我们互相问候，互相拥抱，笑着回忆往事，听着家人们讲述他们所爱之人的趣事，”牛说。

Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images

在仪式开始前的片刻，该市首位穆斯林市长马姆达尼走到朱利安尼面前，在世贸中心遗址的仪式上与他握手。

这一短暂瞬间也被摄像机捕捉到，并在社交媒体上迅速引发了反应，一些人称赞马姆达尼对这位几天前将他比作 9/11 劫机者并表示他出席纪念仪式是一种冒犯的人表现出了宽容。

市长的助手们说，马姆达尼和朱利安尼“互相寒暄了几句”，朱利安尼告诉马姆达尼，当市长很辛苦。

Beth A. Keiser/法新社/盖蒂图片社

纽约市长马姆达尼公布了9/11事件相关记录，显示官员们就世贸中心遗址附近的空气质量问题误导了纽约市民。

周五的交流似乎让过去几周的政治纷争暂时停歇。

朱利安尼的一位助手说，这位前市长告诉马姆达尼，他“正在为他祈祷”。

活动结束后，马姆达尼在接受记者简短采访时，拒绝透露这位前市长对他说了什么。

据马姆达尼办公室发布的消息，马姆达尼说：“他走过来，我们都伸出手，互相问候。”

“我认为我们所有人的关注点都应该放在遇难者家属身上，放在一线救援人员身上，放在今天，聆听25年前那些逝去的生命的名字，以及他们的家人是如何在这段时间里坚持下来的。我真的非常敬佩这些家庭为我们所做的一切。”

数周以来，马姆达尼因出席此次仪式而面临党派间的激烈争论。

朱利安尼此前曾表示，马姆达尼出席纪念活动令他“感到冒犯”，而灾难发生时的州长乔治·帕塔基则表示，马姆达尼应该远离现场。州长候选人布鲁斯·布莱克曼曾誓言，如果市长到场，他将背对着他。

当天晚些时候，在参加完仪式后，马姆达尼在圣尼古拉斯希腊东正教教堂和国家圣地举行的跨宗教追悼会上发表了讲话。该教堂是 9/11 事件中唯一被摧毁的宗教场所。

马姆达尼在讲话中回忆起纽约市民在悲剧发生后的坚韧不拔。“那些袭击我们城市的人，是因为他们以为可以击垮我们脆弱的一面，”他说。

“他们以为能吓唬我们，让我们感到孤立无援，让我们屈服，”马姆达尼说。“他们大错特错了。我们很快就重新站了起来。”

CNN的Gloria Pazmino和Elise Hammond对本报道亦有贡献。