During the signing, Mayor Mamdani passed the ceremonial pen to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, instructing her to hand it onward to his chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem.
WASHINGTON, DC: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has sparked controversy ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks following his signing of two new executive orders. The directives officially establish September 11 as a citywide Day of Remembrance and Service while also working to bolster municipal emergency preparedness.
However, public outcry quickly erupted over the events that immediately followed the signing. After using the ceremonial pen, Mamdani handed it to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who then passed it to chief counsel Ramzi Kassem. A closer look at the situation reveals the facts behind the allegations.
Claim: Mamdani faces heavy criticism after symbolic 9/11 pen reaches former al-Qaeda defense attorney
Mamdani is under fire after a symbolic 9/11 pen was handed to a former al Qaeda defense lawyer.
After signing an executive order designating 9/11 a citywide day of remembrance, the pen was handed to his chief counsel, Ramzi Kassem.
Kassem previously represented a convicted al… pic.twitter.com/AQ0GUXr6Yj
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 7, 2026
As the 25th anniversary of the tragedy approaches, a video capturing Mamdani finalizing the executive orders has circulated widely online.
Footage shows the mayor completing the paperwork and passing the pen to Tisch, who subsequently hands it to Kassem.
Background checks on Kassem reveal that he previously served as a defense attorney for Guantánamo Bay detainee Ahmed al-Darbi. Al-Darbi pleaded guilty to war crimes associated with al-Qaeda operations, including the 2002 bombing of the French oil tanker MV Limburg.
Additionally, al-Darbi’s sister was married to Khalid al-Mihdhar, one of the hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.
Numerous social media users voiced outrage over the pen exchange, questioning the mayor’s judgment. Several commentators, including relatives of 9/11 victims, labeled the gesture inappropriate and offensive given Kassem’s professional history.
The backlash has further intensified ongoing scrutiny regarding Mamdani’s planned involvement in upcoming 9/11 memorial events.
Fact Check: Mayor Mamdani encounters political fallout
The core claim is accurate: Mamdani is indeed facing substantial political repercussions and public condemnation following the transfer of the ceremonial pen to his chief legal advisor.
Critics across various platforms argued that the association detracted from a solemn occasion dedicated to remembering the victims of the attacks and the first responders who lost their lives.
Many detractors categorized the act as a sign of poor taste as the city prepares to mark a quarter-century since the tragedy.
Political figures and media personalities weighed in heavily; podcaster Benny Johnson called the action “a slap in the face to victims,” while former New York state Senate candidate Maria Danzilo remarked that the incident highlights public unease surrounding the city’s current administration.
Other online commentators went further, accusing the mayor of intentionally minimizing the gravity of the September 11 remembrance.
In response to the controversy, City Hall informed the New York Post that Kassem was present at the signing because he and his legal team played a direct role in drafting the executive orders as part of his official responsibilities.