Zohran Mamdani Clarifies 'Aunt' Hijab Claim as Father's Cousin After 9/11

Queens State Assemblyman and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani came under scrutiny after claiming in a speech that his "aunt" stopped riding the subway due to Islamophobia following the 9/11 attacks. Critics and social media users questioned the authenticity of the story, noting that his actual aunt was living abroad and not wearing a hijab at the time. Mamdani later clarified that the woman he referred to was not his biological aunt but his father's cousin, Zehra Fuhi, a term that translates to paternal aunt in Urdu and Hindi. Despite this admission, Mamdani framed the controversy as a distraction from broader issues of Islamophobia and criticized his opponents, including Andrew Cuomo. The episode sparked criticism from conservatives such as Vice President JD Vance, who mocked the claim as minimizing the 9/11 tragedy. Mamdani remains a leading candidate in the mayoral race, with his family story fueling debate about authenticity and political messaging.