Trump slams Mamdani and AOC for smiling during 9/11 tribute, but a former aide to ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani says the video was taken out of context

On Sunday, before he left Ireland, President Donald Trump responded to a question about a clip of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a 9/11 memorial ceremony.

According to Mediaite, a reporter asked, “When you see that video of AOC and Mamdani laughing at the 9/11 ceremony in New York, what were your thoughts?” Trump said, “I think it’s terrible. It’s not a place to be laughing, especially in that case. I thought it was terrible.” He continued, “The fact that they were laughing together in a very important part of the ceremony was inappropriate.”

The remarks followed a Friday clip from the 25th anniversary ceremony of the World Trade Center attack. Cameras showed Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez smiling and laughing together. Critics said the moment lined up with the reading of names of those killed in the terrorist attack and came right after the camera showed a man leaning against the memorial waterfall and weeping.

On-site witness and later footage present a different account of the same moment

The clip drew sharp criticism from several Republicans after it spread on Friday. Sen. Ted Cruz posted on X, “How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud?”

Rep. Nancy Mace shared a screenshot of Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez smiling beside one another. She wrote, “If laughing at Ground Zero while names are being read during the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is your thing, perhaps public service isn’t your calling.”

Michael Ragusa, a former aide to ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, disputed how the clip was being described. Ragusa’s defense highlights the scrutiny political figures face over such moments, a dynamic also seen when Ted Cruz was criticized for a video he allegedly liked on X.  

He posted on X, “The videos of @NYCMayor and @AOC laughing are not true.” He added, “I was standing next to them the whole time. The camera just caught her greeting him hello. Multiple other politicians were laughing and joking behind me. Republicans and Democrats.”

CNN later reported that extended footage from the same camera appears to show Mamdani looking stoic before the greeting. The network said both returned to neutral expressions after the exchange.

CNN also reported that other figures at the ceremony, including ex-NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani and ex-First Lady Michelle Obama, were seen smiling. The report said those smiles did not happen at the same time victims were being honored. The debate over who should attend such events has been contentious, as when Rudy Giuliani wanted Mamdani barred from a ceremony because he is Muslim.