US EditionZohran Mamdani faces pushback over his story about a family member’s post-9/11 fears
Zohran Mamdani clarified his story about a relative's fear of wearing a hijab post-9/11, correcting that it was a distant cousin, not his aunt, amid political criticism.
- On October 24, 2025, Zohran Mamdani used a Bronx speech on Islamophobia to recount an anecdote about an aunt who stopped riding the New York City subway after 9/11 because she felt unsafe in her hijab, sparking online controversy over its accuracy.
- To provide context, Zohran Mamdani said he shared the story to highlight Islamophobia in New York City and the rise in threats against Muslim women who wear hijabs.
- On October 27, 2025, Mamdani clarified he was referring to Zehra fuhi, his father's cousin, who he said passed away a few years ago, defending calling her his aunt.
- Multiple social-media posts alleged Mamdani fabricated the story, with one X post claiming his relative was in Tanzania during 9/11, while a radio host questioned him about saying he 'lied,' and Mamdani criticized former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for Islamophobic attacks.
- Cultural clarifications note that South Asian kinship terms like 'fuhi'/'fufi' can mean paternal aunt, and partisan attacks shaped debate during Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign.
79 Articles
79 Articles
Zohran Mamdani’s Mother Once Bragged He’s “Not an American at All” in Unearthed Interview - Real News Now
A resurfaced interview with Zohran Mamdani’s mother is raising new questions about the socialist mayoral frontrunner’s ties to America — and whether he ever considered himself part of the country he now seeks to govern. In a 2013 interview with the Hindustan Times, Mamdani’s mother, left-wing filmmaker Mira Nair, proudly declared that her son was “not an American at all,” instead describing him as a product of India and Uganda. “He is a total de…
'Not an American at All': Zohran Mamdani Too International for City Hall? Mother's Old Interview Resurfaces
Is Zohran Mamdani too international for City Hall? The resurfacing of comments by his mother describing him as 'not an American at all' has intensified a debate over identity, loyalty, and the image of a mayor for the nation's largest city. As New Yorkers weigh policy and personality ahead of the vote, that old interview has been seized by critics and examined by allies, raising questions about how a politician's roots should factor into public …
Zohran Mamdani Accused Of Lying About 'Aunt'
Source: Michael M. Santiago / Getty My mother only has one sister. I call her “aunt” or “auntie.” There are also several other older women on my mom’s side of the family I call “aunt” or “auntie.” Some of them are technically my cousins. Some of them aren’t related to me at all, but they’re such close friends of the family that, bro, that’s my auntie. The same goes for “uncles” and “uncs.” I had an “uncle” once, whom I called “uncle” even though…
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