Andrew Cuomo Slammed for Laughing at Islamophobic 9/11 Remark About His Muslim Opponent Zohran Mamdani

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is under fire for remarks made during a conservative radio appearance about Zohran Mamdani, his chief rival in the upcoming New York City mayoral election.

During the Oct. 23 episode of Sid & Friends in the Morning, Cuomo, 67, questioned Mamdani’s fitness to govern New York City in times of crisis — citing scenarios such as a natural disaster, fiscal collapse, or outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease.

“God forbid another 9/11,” Cuomo said. “Can you imagine Mamdani in the seat?”

Host Sid Rosenberg, who has previously called Mamdani a “terrorist,” replied, “Yeah, I could. He’d be cheering.”

After a brief pause, Cuomo laughed and said, “That’s another problem.”

Later that day, Mamdani, 34, condemned the exchange in an interview with PIX11 News, calling the comments “disgusting.”

“This is Andrew Cuomo’s final moment in public life, and he’s choosing to spend it making racist attacks on the person who would be the first Muslim mayor to lead the city,” Mamdani said. He added that Cuomo’s rhetoric insulted the more than one million Muslims living in New York City.

Governor Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s former running mate and successor, also denounced the remarks. “Fear-mongering, hate speech, and Islamophobia are beneath New York — and everything we stand for as a state,” Hochul said.

Representative Dan Goldman, who has criticized Mamdani’s past statements about Israel, called the suggestion that Mamdani would celebrate a terrorist attack “naked Islamophobia.”

Cuomo’s independent bid for mayor marks his political comeback, four years after resigning as governor amid sexual harassment allegations, which he continues to deny. He faces Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in a contentious three-way race.

At a news conference Thursday, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams endorsed Cuomo. When questioned about the radio comments, Cuomo sought to distance himself from Rosenberg’s words.

“First of all, I didn’t make that comment,” Cuomo said. “The host said whatever the host said. That’s the host. Go talk to the host about that.”

Rosenberg later defended Cuomo, saying he was being unfairly blamed. “He didn’t say it, I did,” Rosenberg said in a video statement. “And I would say it again.”

On Friday, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi clarified that Cuomo did not agree with Rosenberg’s characterization and did not believe Mamdani would celebrate a terrorist attack.

Azzopardi claimed that when Cuomo appeared to agree with Rosenberg, he was instead referring to “Mamdani’s close friend Hasan Piker, who said ‘America deserved 9/11,’ a statement 9/11 families called on Zohran Mamdani to denounce but he refused for months.”

During a recent debate, Mamdani stated that he found Piker’s comment “objectionable and reprehensible.”