Dennis McGinley, whose brother died in the 2001 attacks, has urged New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other politicians to stay away from the annual Ground Zero memorial. He made the comments during a June 27 interview with NewsNation anchor Katie Pavlich. McGinley accused elected officials of using the event for photo opportunities.
McGinley said his brother Daniel Francis McGinley was killed on the 89th floor of the World Trade Center. He spoke bluntly about politicians who appear at the ceremony each year.
"We certainly hope that none of these politicians show up down there for their photo op. We do not want them there, and that goes for Mayor Mamdani as well," McGinley told Pavlich.
The remarks follow earlier criticism of Mamdani's comments on the attacks. In September 2025 the mayor spoke about Islamophobia, and in October he mentioned an aunt who stopped using the subway after the attacks. CNN contributor Scott Jennings said at the time that Mamdani had failed to mention the victims.
