{"id":38854,"date":"2026-08-11T16:13:16","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T11:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=38854"},"modified":"2026-08-11T16:13:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T11:13:16","slug":"gop-senators-back-9-11-families-petition-to-ban-mamdani-from-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=38854","title":{"rendered":"GOP senators back 9\/11 families petition to ban Mamdani from ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Republican senators are rallying behind the petition from families of 9\/11 victims to block <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016419\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/new-york-city\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York City<\/a> Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending the 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony of the attacks at Ground Zero.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Several families of 9\/11 victims launched an online petition calling on the National September 11 Memorial &amp; Museum to not include Mamdani in the commemorative events honoring those who lost their lives in the terror attacks 25 years ago.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Fox News Digital asked senators on Capitol Hill about the efforts to ban Mamdani from attending the memorial, and whether it would be appropriate for him to show up given claims that the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016420\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/vulnerable-democrat-warns-party-fight-back-against-growing-socialist-movement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">democratic socialist<\/a> has failed to adequately condemn Islamic extremism.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016421\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/firefighter-brother-911-victim-incensed-radical-muslims-winning-key-dem-primaries\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>FIREFIGHTER BROTHER OF 9\/11 VICTIM INCENSED BY &#8216;RADICAL&#8217; MUSLIMS WINNING KEY DEM PRIMARIES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/zohran-mamdani.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Zohran Mamdani giving a speech\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference on universal child care at Bedrock Preschool on August 4, 2026, in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx borough in New York City.<\/span> <span>(Michael M. Santiago\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;It might be appropriate if he goes while wearing a paper bag over his head,&#8221; Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;I mean I can&#8217;t defend anything that guy says or does,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The petition cites eight specific concerns about Mamdani, including claims he has never directly condemned the phrase &#8220;globalize the intifada,&#8221; allegedly associating with extremist and anti-American individuals and claims that his beliefs are shaped by his father, who called for destigmatizing suicide bombers and drew comparisons between the United States and <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016422\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/al-qaeda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">al Qaeda<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;His opinions on America&#8217;s place in the world are pretty different than probably most of those families feel,&#8221; Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016423\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\/mamdanis-politics-linked-muslim-brotherhood-ideology-new-york-violence-escalates-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>MAMDANI&#8217;S POLITICS LINKED TO MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IDEOLOGY AS NEW YORK VIOLENCE ESCALATES: REPORT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/343\/192\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/686\/384\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/672\/378\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1344\/756\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/931\/523\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1862\/1046\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/720\/405\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1440\/810\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1200\/675\/tim-sheehy-shipbuilding-fox-news.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Sen. Tim Sheehy walks through U.S. Capitol during Senate votes.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., was seen during a series of Senate votes at the U.S. Capitol on June 17, 2026, in Washington, D.C.<\/span> <span>(Tom Williams\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The families\u2019 plea also points to claims of Mamdani praising and appointing people linked to radical Islam, his comments blaming the United States for the radicalization of <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016424\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/al-qaeda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">al Qaeda<\/a> propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki and his recent endorsement of democratic socialist Darializa Aria Chevalier.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;He&#8217;s platformed Islamic extremism, and he openly supports <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016425\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/hamas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hamas<\/a>, as does his wife,&#8221; Sheehy claimed. &#8220;And <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016425\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/hamas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hamas<\/a> is not just an adjacent organization to all the other Muslim extremists, they&#8217;re one of the core members of it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Mamdani has taken fire from many GOP lawmakers over his refusal to call for Hamas to lay down its weapons during an interview last year, as well as for other claims of <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016427\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\/mamdanis-politics-linked-muslim-brotherhood-ideology-new-york-violence-escalates-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ties to Islamic extremism<\/a> and alleging the NYC leader of <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016428\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/topic\/anti-semitism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">antisemitism<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the organizers carefully consider whether Mr. Mamdani\u2019s participation would align with the intention of the ceremony and the expectations of the families most directly affected by the tragedy,&#8221; the petition states.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016429\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/new-york-gubernatorial-candidate-urges-9-11-attendees-turn-away-from-mamdani-during-ceremony\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>NEW YORK GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE URGES 9\/11 ATTENDEES TO TURN AWAY FROM MAMDANI DURING CEREMONY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;I think he has said some pretty disgusting things and seems to be on that trend line that he&#8217;s going to talk like that more and more,&#8221; Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., said. &#8220;And so I certainly can understand why some of the families feel that way.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">As of Monday evening, the petition had more than 82,000 signatures in support of the efforts of the families to bar Mamdani from the event.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;As far as I&#8217;m concerned, he&#8217;s a disgrace and an embarrassment to the country, but we&#8217;ll see if he shows up, right?&#8221; Sheehy said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">After hearing of the petition, Mamdani shared that he still plans to attend this year\u2019s <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1016431\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/9-11-museum-ceo-reflects-lasting-impact-terror-attacks-america-marks-250th-birthday\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">9\/11 commemoration<\/a>, according to CBS News.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Mamdani\u2019s office did not respond to Fox News Digital\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;At the end of the day, those families should have the say who&#8217;s going to show up and honor the memory of their own families,&#8221; Sheehy said.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Hannah is a Production Assistant for the Politics team at Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Republican senators are rallying behind the petition from families of 9\/11 victims to block New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani from attending the 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony of the attacks at Ground Zero. Several families of 9\/11 victims launched an online petition calling on the National September&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38855,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/thune-mamdani-split.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38854","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38854"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38854\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}