Why many love to hate Zohran Mamdani: First Muslim mayor at Ground Zero of 9/11 Islamist terror attack is problematic for them

Zohran Mamdani's election as the Mayor of New York City was watched globally. The rise of a Muslim to the key post in the city that witnessed the 9/11 attacks, the worst act of Islamist terror on US soil, is seen as problematic by many: from Trump-supporting MAGA Republicans to pro-Israel groups and even some New Yorkers and Democrats. Here is what they think.

New York City, forever scarred by 9/11 terrorist attack

Almost a quarter of a century ago, the 11 September 2001 terror attacks claimed 2,977 lives in the US. For many, it would have been inconceivable that a Muslim could be leading City Hall in 2025. But the 34‑year-old democratic socialist has overcome the barriers. The practising Muslim is now the 111th mayor of New York City, whether his detractors like it or hate it.

It has been a meteoric rise for Mamdani, from a little‑known Queens assemblyman to the city’s first Muslim, Indian, South Asian, and Millennial mayor. While it is historic, his rise is problematic for many Republicans, New Yorkers, and even some moderate Democrats.

Why Mamdani’s rise evokes unease in a nation known for Islamophobia

Beyond the Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism at the core of some views against him, Mamdani’s own statements, writings, and associations have contributed to public concern. In these, he appeared to downplay the horror of 9/11, while foregrounding Islamphpobia in post-9/11 America. For his critics, he seemed to align with anti‑American and anti‑Israel rhetoric. Hed has been accused of prioritising narratives of Muslim victimhood over the city’s collective trauma.

Mamdani’s rise stirs an unusual convergence of concern across the political spectrum

Led by President Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans, Mamdani’s identity as a Muslim and a democratic socialist is being seen as a symbolic rupture in the US political narrative, which has often depicted Muslims as the enemy. Trump launched a scathing attack following Mamdani’s primary win, calling him a “100 per cent Communist Lunatic.” He went further, criticising Mamdani’s “grating voice” and “terrible looks” as emblematic of what he described as a “radical left‑wing takeover.”

Trump’s rhetoric taps directly into lingering fears among Republicans, far-right groups, and conservatives about Islamist terrorism. For them, Mamdani is not just a political rival but a cultural and security threat to the city’s identity, scarred by 9/11.

For many New Yorkers, 9/11 is a wound yet to heal

For a generation of New Yorkers, particularly survivors of 9/11 who walked through ash-choked streets on that fateful day, Mamdani’s rise brings both symbolic and real unease. His public remarks about being Muslim and facing suspicion after 9/11 are well-known. One widely cited anecdote involves his aunt, who reportedly stopped taking the subway because she did not feel safe in her hijab. Critics have interpreted such remarks as foregrounding his family’s social discomfort over the deaths of thousands.

Mamdani's radical reform agenda is likely to face opposition

Mamdani is a populist in his own way, with a policy platform that includes radical reform of the New York Police Department and the redirection of resources from traditional security priorities.

For all its glamour, New York remains a heavily policed, high-security city since 9/11. Mamdani's security reform plans have fuelled concerns among residents who feel that ideological goals might override pragmatic public safety issues in a city ever-vigilant against terrorism.

Mamdani is not universally liked within his own Democratic Party

Although he ran as a Democratic candidate, Mamdani has roots in the democratic socialist wing and belongs to the more vocal, left-leaning sections of the party. His candidacy and victory prompted hesitation among moderate Democrats. They view his ideological commitments and relative lack of executive experience as potential liabilities.

Business leaders and centrist voices have expressed alarm too, with Wall Street strategists reportedly mobilising hedge fund and real estate donors to oppose his general election bid, fearing a radical shift—or a socialist takeover—of the city’s governance and economy. His vocal criticism of US policy toward Israel and support for Palestinian rights have also raised concerns that Democrats are providing conservatives with potent attack lines for the 2026 midterm elections.

Will Mamdani bring a fresh way of looking at politics in New York and America?

While supporters celebrate the diversity and fresh perspective Mamdani brings, critics argue that these virtues should not erase the need for clear commitment to New York’s resilience against terror.

In the metropolis where the Freedom Tower stands as a defiant memorial opposing jihadist ideology, electing a leader who has appeared, to some, to be an apologist for 9/11 while focusing on Islamophobia feels like a betrayal of hard-won ground for many New Yorkers.