Embarrassment for Mamdani at funeral of soldier killed by Iranian strike

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was not given the floor at the funeral of Sergeant Angel Sarah Rampersad, who was killed in an Iranian strike on a base in Jordan. He had prepared a speech but was forced to sit in the fourth row. Sources link this to the political views of the family, who support Trump. Mamdani had criticized US and Israeli military actions against Iran.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani found himself in an awkward situation at the funeral of Sergeant Angel Sarah Rampersad, a US Army soldier who died on July 17 as a result of an Iranian missile strike on the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan. Mamdani arrived at the ceremony at a church in the Ozone Park neighborhood, expecting to speak, but was forced to take a seat in the fourth row and was not given the opportunity to deliver his prepared remarks. According to witnesses, he rehearsed his speech in the church and reviewed notes on his tablet, but he was never announced. Sources link this to the political views of the deceased's family, who support President Donald Trump and wanted to avoid politicizing the ceremony. Mamdani, representing the left wing of the Democratic Party, had previously criticized US and Israeli military actions against Iran. After the ceremony, his press office released the text of the speech, which contained no political statements.