George Pataki said Mamdani should not attend because of Mamdani’s continuing association with Hasan Piker and his past response to the phrase “globalize the intifada.”
““Anyone who has refused to reject the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’ ... should not be at that site.””
Speaker capacity
Former governor of New York
Editorial rationale
Pataki directly called for Mamdani to skip the memorial.
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Gov. George Pataki, and some relatives of September 11 victims say Mayor Zohran Mamdani should not attend the 2026 commemoration, citing concerns about his rhetoric and associations. Mamdani says he will attend to honor victims, families, survivors, and first responders. Other elected officials and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows say 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.
