By Trendsetter Tribune 
On Friday, March 13, 2026, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) was “shredded” across social media following a post that many viewed as the latest instance of escalating anti-Muslim rhetoric from GOP leadership.
The controversy centers on a post Tuberville made on X (formerly Twitter) late Thursday night, referencing the September 11 attacks in relation to the recent election of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor.
The Post That Sparked the Firestorm
While the original post was deleted after several hours, screenshots show Tuberville sharing a video of Mayor Mamdani speaking at a public Iftar dinner to break the Ramadan fast. Tuberville’s caption reportedly read:
“25 years after they hit us on 9/11, New York City has officially surrendered. We are losing our country from within.” — Sen. Tommy Tuberville
The post immediately went viral, drawing sharp rebukes from across the political spectrum for conflating the faith of a democratically elected American official with the perpetrators of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
“Bigotry and Hatred”: Mamdani Responds
Mayor Mamdani, who was nine years old and living in Manhattan during the 9/11 attacks, addressed the Senator’s comments during a press conference on Friday morning.
- Emotional Response: Mamdani described the rhetoric as “disgusting” and “a desperate attempt to divide New Yorkers.”
- Defending His Identity: “To imply that my election as a Muslim is a ‘surrender’ or a threat to the city I love is not just a personal insult—it’s an insult to the millions of Muslim New Yorkers who teach our children, staff our hospitals, and protect our streets,” Mamdani said.
- The “9/11 Generation”: The Mayor noted that he, like many New Yorkers, grew up in the “shadow of 9/11” and has spent his life working to build a more inclusive city in its aftermath.
Bipartisan and Public Backlash
The backlash against Tuberville was swift, with the Senator’s name trending nationally alongside terms like “bigot” and “Islamophobe.”
- Senate Democrats: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called the post “beneath the dignity of the United States Senate” and demanded a formal apology.
- Republican Dissent: Even some within his own party distanced themselves. A spokesperson for Senator Todd Young (R-IN) issued a brief statement noting that “religious tests have no place in American politics.”
- The “JD Vance” Echo: Critics pointed out that Tuberville’s post followed a similar pattern of attacks from Vice President JD Vance, who previously mocked Mamdani’s concerns about Islamophobia by suggesting the “real victim of 9/11” was Mamdani’s aunt.
A Growing Trend
The incident is part of a broader surge in anti-Muslim sentiment from conservative figures following Mamdani’s upset victory over Andrew Cuomo last year. Other lawmakers, including Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), have also faced criticism recently for making similar “Never Forget” posts featuring images of the Mayor in traditional South Asian attire.