‘Real 9/11 victim’: JD Vance replies to Zohran Mamdani’s remarks on aunt feeling unsafe in hijab
US Vice President JD Vance has made a sharp remark about Democratic leader Zohran Mamdani’s recent comments on Islamophobia, suggesting that Mamdani viewed his aunt, who stopped taking the subway after the 9/11 attacks, as the “real victim” of the tragedy.
“According to Zohran the real victim of 9/11 was his auntie who got some (allegedly) bad looks,” Vance said in a post on X on Saturday.
Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, had shared the story during a speech outside a Bronx mosque on Friday, where he condemned what he called “racist, baseless attacks” from political rivals.
“I want to speak to the memory of my aunt, who stopped taking the subway after September 11 because she did not feel safe in her hijab,” Mamdani had said, recalling the fear and discrimination faced by Muslims in the aftermath of the attacks.
Mamdani, who has been a prominent voice on issues of housing and affordability, said the recent turn in the mayoral campaign showed how “Islamophobia has emerged as one of the few areas of agreement” among his opponents.
His comments came amid escalating rhetoric from rivals, including Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Eric Adams. While Sliwa is a Republican candidate, Cuomo is running Independent. Eric Adams is the incumbent Mayor who has bowed out of the contest this time. Cuomo recently came under fire for appearing to agree with a radio host who suggested Mamdani would “cheer another 9/11 attack.” Sliwa has called Mamdani a supporter of “global jihad,” while Adams said New York “can’t be Europe,” in reference to “Islamic extremism.”
Responding to the growing hostility, Mamdani said the dream of every Muslim is to be treated the same as any other New Yorker.
“And yet for too long we have been told to ask for less than that, and to be satisfied with whatever little we receive. No more,” he said.
“I will not change who I am or hide my faith to make others comfortable. I will find myself in the light,” Mamdani said.
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