President Donald Trump voiced support for families of September 11 victims who are calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to refrain from attending upcoming Ground Zero memorial observances ahead of the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
Speaking in a conference on Wednesday with reporters regarding a petition organized by victim advocacy groups, Trump acknowledged the widespread dissatisfaction among relatives who feel aggrieved by the city’s current political leadership.
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“Well, I think they’re having a hard time with Mamdani,” Trump said, addressing the mounting friction between victim family organizations and municipal officials. “The people having to do with anybody, having to do with 9/11 right now on the victim side. And there were a lot of them there are very unhappy with what’s going on in New York, and they’re very unhappy with the mayor.”
The reaction follows a widely circulated Change.org petition organized by families of individuals killed in the 2001 strikes on the World Trade Center.
More than 1,100 family members representing roughly 300 victims alongside thousands of supporters, have signed the document asking organizers to bar the mayor from participating in the upcoming milestone tribute at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
In the petition, relatives outlined deep objections to Mamdani’s past political stances and public comments.
Signatories pointed to his hesitation to clearly condemn contentious political slogans, as well as past writings and political alliances they view as sympathetic toward radical rhetoric.
Organizers argued that the 25th anniversary should remain strictly focused on solemn remembrance, national unity, and a clear rejection of political violence.
Family members involved in the campaign stressed that Ground Zero remains a sacred space for grieving relatives.
Giovanni Galante, who lost his wife Grace Catherine Galante in the attack, stated publicly that the annual gathering is not a venue for political positioning and described the mayor’s potential presence as an unwelcome intrusion.
Cheri Sparacio, whose husband Thomas died in the tragedy, similarly expressed that participation by the mayor would feel disrespectful to victim families.
In response to the public pushback, the mayor confirmed that he still plans to attend the solemn gathering. “I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration, reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day felt by all of us who call this city home and, frankly, by all of us who called this country home,” Mamdani said.
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Event organizers noted that while Mamdani is among numerous elected leaders routinely invited to the annual commemoration, he is not scheduled to give a formal speech during the reading of the victims’ names.
The dispute reflects the ongoing emotional and political complexities surrounding milestone 9/11 commemorations in New York.
As preparations continue for the quarter-century anniversary, the standoff underscores how survivor networks continue to actively guard the memorial’s sacred intent against political intrusion.