JD Vance Mocks Zohran Mamdani’s Story Of Aunt’s Hijab Post 9/11
The already tense New York City mayoral race has taken a sharper turn after US Vice President JD Vance publicly mocked Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani for sharing a personal story about post-9/11 Islamophobia. Mamdani, speaking at a campaign event, recounted how his aunt felt unsafe wearing her hijab after the attacks, a story Vance dismissed with a snarky social media post, escalating accusations of faith-based attacks in the election.
Speaking outside a Bronx mosque, Mamdani described the challenges faced by the Muslim community, revealing that his aunt stopped taking the subway after 9/11 because she “did not feel safe in her hijab.” He also shared that upon entering politics, he was advised to downplay his faith. “These are lessons that so many Muslim New Yorkers have been taught,” he said, highlighting years of systemic pressure and discrimination.
In a cutting response on X, formerly Twitter, Vice President JD Vance retorted, “According to Zohran the real victim of 9/11 was his auntie who got some (allegedly) bad looks.” The comment drew immediate criticism for its dismissive tone and for trivializing Mamdani’s experience of anti-Muslim sentiment.Vance’s jab is the latest in a series of what many Democrats are calling Islamophobic attacks targeting Mamdani. His opponents in the mayoral race, Republican Curtis Sliwa and Independent Andrew Cuomo, along with outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, have all recently made controversial statements.
Cuomo reportedly laughed along with a radio host’s suggestion that Mamdani would “be cheering” another 9/11 attack, Adams warned that “New York can’t be Europe…because of Islamic extremism,” and Sliwa accused Mamdani of supporting “global jihad.”Despite the political firestorm, Mamdani has stood firm, reaffirming his commitment to his identity. “I will not change who I am, how I eat, for the faith that I’m proud to call my own,” he declared. He stated that while he once tried to minimize his religious identity, he now intends to fully embrace it. “I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light,” Mamdani said, signaling his resolve against the attacks.
