Mamdani is a Liar: Admits ‘Aunt’ In Hijab Sob Story Isn’t Actually His Aunt

Socialist Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani admitted Monday that the woman he described as his aunt — who stopped taking the subway after 9/11 — was not actually his aunt, but a distant relative.

The socialist lawmaker made the clarification at a press conference after critics circulated photos online showing one of his real aunts without a hijab. Mamdani said he had been referring to “Zehra fuhi,” a relative on his father’s side.

“I was speaking about my aunt, I was speaking about Zehra fuhi, my father’s cousin who sadly passed away a few years ago,” Mamdani told reporters.

Mamdani tried to steer attention away from his misleading family story, framing the uproar as a distraction from what he called a deeper issue.

“And for the takeaway from my more than 10-minute address about Islamophobia in this race and in this city, to be the question of my aunt, tells you everything about Andrew Cuomo and his inability to reckon with a crisis of his own making,” Mamdani said.

The controversy began last week when Mamdani grew emotional while recounting how a Muslim woman in his family allegedly gave up public transportation after the 2001 terror attacks because she feared being targeted for wearing her hijab.

“I want to speak to the memory of my aunt, who stopped taking the subway after September 11 because she did not feel safe in her hijab,” he told supporters at the time.

With the Nov. 4 election just days away, polls show Mamdani leading his three-way race against Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa. A recent Patriot Polling survey shows a divide in the race as Mamdani dominates among foreign-born voters with 62% support compared to Cuomo’s 24% and Sliwa’s 12%.

Among American-born voters, Cuomo leads with 40% support, followed by Mamdani at 31% and Sliwa at 25%. Overall, Mamdani maintains a citywide edge with 43% support, while Cuomo trails at 32% and Sliwa at 19%.

If he wins in November, Mamdani vowed to push sweeping economic reforms, including a $30 minimum wage, state-operated grocery stores, and new taxes targeting affluent, predominantly white neighborhoods. His agenda has alarmed Republicans and fueled reports that several city business owners are weighing whether to relocate should he become mayor.