New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced he will attend the upcoming 25th anniversary memorial service for the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, stating the event should focus on remembrance rather than politics. The ceremony will be Mamdani’s first as mayor, following his election as the first Muslim to hold the office.
The mayor’s planned attendance follows the launch of an online petition by Giovanni Galante, whose wife was killed in the attacks, requesting that the 9/11 Memorial and Museum bar Mamdani from the ceremony. The petition, which has gathered nearly 80,000 signatures, cites Mamdani’s political associations and his past positions on Palestinian rights as reasons for the request.
Mamdani stated that he views the ceremony as an "enormous responsibility" to honor the 2,977 people killed and their families. To address requests for information, the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget includes $34.2 million to create a searchable online portal for 9/11-related documents. The mayor also addressed concerns regarding emergency communications and surveillance, stating he supports providing first responders with high-quality equipment while respecting the rights of residents.
The presence of the mayor at the ceremony follows a precedent where every New York City leader since Rudy Giuliani has attended the annual remembrance at the World Trade Center site. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum stated that their policy is to keep the event free of politics; government officials attend to "bear witness" in a designated area and do not deliver remarks. This structure is intended to maintain the focus on the reading of the names of the deceased.
Looking forward, the 25th anniversary memorial is scheduled for September 11, 2026. The mayor has already begun visiting firehouses most impacted by the 2001 attacks, including stops on Staten Island and at FDNY Rescue 1 in Manhattan. The city is also proceeding with the development of the document portal funded in the 2027 budget to improve public access to records related to the attacks and their aftermath.