The four-second clip showing Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez exchanging smiles during the 25th anniversary 9/11 ceremony sparked a polarized reaction online. Critics said the moment showed inappropriate laughter while victims' names were read; witnesses and attendees said the footage was taken out of context and described the exchange as a brief greeting. Mamdani also shook hands with Rudy Giuliani earlier and later spoke about New Yorkers' resilience at an interfaith memorial.
Four-Second Exchange Between NYC Mayor Mamdani and AOC at 9/11 Memorial Sparks Online Firestorm
CNN
A brief on-camera exchange between New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during the 25th anniversary commemoration of the September 11 attacks drew swift criticism and equally swift defense after a four-second clip circulated online.
The footage, taken from a live feed that switched among multiple camera angles, shows the two politicians smiling and greeting one another while the names of victims of the World Trade Center attacks were being read. The clip contains no audio and lasted roughly four seconds before the feed moved to another shot.
Controversy and Responses
Some critics on social media — including high-profile conservatives — characterized the moment as inappropriate laughter during a solemn reading. Texas Senator Ted Cruz reposted the clip and asked, "How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud?" Conservative commentator Meghan McCain also criticized the exchange.
Supporters and eyewitnesses push back on that characterization. Michael Ragusa, who was Rudy Giuliani's head of security at the time of the attacks, wrote on social media that he stood nearby for the ceremony and that the camera simply caught a brief greeting. Former New York State Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, an attendee, called the criticism "ridiculous talking points," noting that many officials move around, exchange greetings, and do not remain motionless throughout the event. Niou said Mamdani stayed for every name and spoke with families for about 45 minutes after the ceremony.
Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, center right, and Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York, center left, arrive ahead of the 25th anniversary commemoration ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York on Friday. - Michael Nagle/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Separate Moment With Rudy Giuliani
Earlier at the memorial, cameras also captured Mamdani approaching former Mayor Rudy Giuliani to shake hands. That brief interaction drew attention because Giuliani had, days earlier, compared Mamdani to 9/11 hijackers and suggested Mamdani's attendance at the memorial would be offensive.
Aides to both men described the encounter as an exchange of pleasantries. An aide to Giuliani said he told Mamdani he was "praying for him," while Mamdani declined to repeat Giuliani's remarks, saying the event's focus should remain on victims' families and first responders.
Mamdani's Remarks and the Day's Events
After the commemoration at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Mamdani attended an interfaith memorial at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11. In remarks there, he praised New Yorkers' resilience: "Those who attacked our city, they did so because they thought they could break us at the fractures... How wrong they were. How quick we were to stand back up."
CNN reached out to representatives for both Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez for comment. The episode highlights how short video clips from live feeds can become flashpoints, with interpretation shaped rapidly on social media. Witnesses at the ceremony said brief greetings, embraces and moments of shared memory among attendees are common and do not necessarily reflect disrespect.
Reporting note: Contributors to the coverage included Gloria Pazmino and Elise Hammond.
Help us improve.
