Trump Slams AOC and Mamdani Over 9/11 Laugh

Two politicians were caught laughing at a solemn 9/11 memorial. That was the scene. President Trump called it "terrible." He said it was wrong to laugh while victims' names were read. This happened on Friday, September 11, 2026. The ceremony marked 25 years since the attacks.

Cameras showed Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani sharing a joke. This occurred while families of the dead were speaking. A New York Post report noted the timing was during the reading of names. The video spread fast. Many people were angry. Sen. Ted Cruz asked how they could laugh. Meghan McCain wrote on X, "Why the f–k are these two laughing?!?"

The president was not in New York that day. He spoke at the Pentagon instead. But he saw the video from his flight in Ireland. He repeated that the behavior was inappropriate. He called the moment "terrible."

Why were they laughing? A source told The Post that Mamdani was standing alone. Other leaders left early. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Sen. Chuck Schumer walked away. The source said, "Nobody wanted to be by him." It felt awkward. The source added that Mamdani stayed until the end. He spoke with victims' families. But the source admitted the laugh would be scrutinized. "He doesn't help his case," the source said.

Some people defend the pair. Michael Ragusa, a security head for former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, was there. He said the clip was misleading. "The camera just caught her greeting him hello," Ragusa wrote. He claimed other politicians were joking too. He said Republicans and Democrats were laughing behind him. Ragusa insisted the videos were "not true." A longer clip showed the two embracing before they spoke.

This is where it changes. The anger started before the video went viral. Families had asked Mamdani to stay away. A petition asked him to leave the memorial. It got over 100,000 signatures. Why? His chief counsel had ties to an al Qaeda operative. The lawyer, Ramzi Kassem, defended Ahmed al-Darbi. The brother-in-law of that operative helped hijack a plane. That plane hit the Pentagon.

One NYC Councilwoman wrote that Mamdani ignored pleas from families. She said he stood there while families wept. She called it a sign of who runs New York. Neither AOC nor Mamdani has responded to the claims. The video shows them returning to the stage after the laugh. They listened as names continued to be read. But the damage was done. The president made his view clear from abroad.

The president called the laughter "terrible" and inappropriate for a day of mourning.