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Rudy Giuliani didn’t mince words on Sunday: he said Mayor Zohran Mamdani should stay away from the Ground Zero ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks because his presence would offend victims’ families. Giuliani, who was mayor when New York was under siege, told Newsmax that the commemoration is for the families and the nation’s remembrance, not a platform for those he views as politically toxic.
The backlash is not hypothetical — an online petition organized by some 9/11 families has urged organizers to bar Mayor Mamdani from the solemn ceremony, arguing that his record and associations make him an unwelcome figure at a sacred event. Those family members, who carry the scars of that day every day, say they deserve a ceremony free from controversy and partisanship, not a showcase for a mayor whose past remarks and appointments raise legitimate concerns.
The controversy deepened after Mamdani signed executive orders designating Sept. 11 a citywide Day of Remembrance and Service and then ceremonially handed the pen to Ramzi Kassem, his chief counsel — a move critics say was tone-deaf given Kassem’s past as a defense attorney in terrorism-related cases. That optics problem matters: when families of the dead see symbolism that appears to sympathize with or excuse the motives of terrorists, it’s no surprise outrage follows.
Despite the outcry, the mayor has signaled he will attend and officials say the commemoration should remain an inclusive city ritual; yet many victims’ relatives say his mere presence would keep them away from the memorial they once considered unifying. There is no higher priority than honoring the memories of the nearly 3,000 Americans lost that day, and allowing politics to overshadow that mission betrays those who paid the ultimate price.
Meanwhile, conservative media are reeling as Fox announced this week that Maria Bartiromo is no longer with the network — a sudden departure the company called a “business decision,” even as her attorney disputed reports and suggested the story is not settled. Bartiromo, a high-profile voice for conservative viewers and a consistent Trump ally, had been off the air for weeks before the announcement, and her abrupt exit has left a vacuum on the right that many see as evidence of corporate media’s growing willingness to sideline loyal voices.
Speculation about the reason for Bartiromo’s departure has swirled, with reports that tensions over internal messages and editorial choices played a role. Conservatives are right to demand transparency: whether this was a purely financial move, an internal dispute, or political pressure at work, the American people deserve straight answers — not corporate platitudes — about why a top-rated host was pushed out.
Patriotic Americans should be clear-eyed about what’s happening: the reverence for Sept. 11 must not be eroded by political theater, and conservative voices should not be casually discarded by networks that once courted their loyalty. We should stand with the families who demand a pure remembrance of their loved ones, and we should demand fairness and accountability from media institutions that are increasingly choosing politics over principle.
