Benny Johnson: Mamdani “shouldn’t even show his face” at the 9/11 ceremony
Benny JohnsonPolitical commentator and host of The Benny Show
Johnson said Mamdani should not attend and described his presence as insulting to 9/11 victims.
“Mamdani shouldn’t even show his face at the ceremony.”
Original post

Where this statement fits
Should Zohran Mamdani attend New York City’s 9/11 memorial?
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Gov. George Pataki, and some relatives of September 11 victims said Mayor Zohran Mamdani should not attend the 2026 commemoration, citing concerns about his rhetoric and associations. Mamdani said he would attend to honor victims, families, survivors, and first responders. Other elected officials and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows said excluding the sitting mayor would politicize a ceremony meant for collective remembrance. The dispute is over the civic meaning and appropriateness of attendance, not over whether Mamdani has endorsed the September 11 attacks. Mamdani attended the 25th-anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero on September 11, 2026, shaking hands with Giuliani beforehand, and no protest took place. The argument over whether he should have been there continued after the ceremony, and the case remains open to record it.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Direct X post in which Johnson criticizes Mamdani's ceremonial pen presentation and concludes that Mamdani should not attend.
Before the quotation
Johnson criticized Mamdani's ceremonial presentation of a pen to chief counsel Ramzi Kassem.
After the quotation
He called the presentation and planned attendance disrespectful to victims.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
He made an explicit demand for non-attendance in his own X post.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Zohran Mamdani
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Emma Vigeland calls Mamdani's handshake with Giuliani at the 9/11 ceremony masterful
“To recap: 1) Giuliani went on a racist rant about Muslims and said he'd be "offended" if Mamdani attended the 9/11 ceremony 2) Mamdani released thousands of documents on 9/11 air quality that implicate Giuliani 3) Mamdani shakes his hand with a smile at the ceremony Masterful.”Read statement
Chris Hayes says Mamdani modelled "civility and grace" by showing up and shaking hands
“Too many people online seem to conflate left politics with being obnoxious and scathing and Mamdani is such a model for combining a principled ideological vision with civility and grace. You shake hands, you act like a grown up even whether others aren't. You show up.”Read statement
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- Benny Johnson: Mamdani “shouldn’t even show his face” at the 9/11 ceremony
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/230-johnson-said-mamdani-should-not-attend-and-described
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The Dispute Index. "Benny Johnson: Mamdani “shouldn’t even show his face” at the 9/11 ceremony". First published: 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/230-johnson-said-mamdani-should-not-attend-and-described