Outspoken MAGA actress and Trump supporter Patricia Heaton is facing mounting criticism online after publicly supporting a petition calling for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to be barred from attending this year’s 25th anniversary commemoration of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Meanwhile, the said petition is growing steadily, though it so far hasn’t discouraged the mayor.
The Everybody Loves Raymond star, 68, endorsed the campaign on X earlier this week, urging supporters to continue signing a petition organized by some family members of 9/11 victims. “Keep it going, New Yorkers,” Heaton wrote while sharing the petition, which argues that Mamdani’s participation would conflict with the values the annual remembrance is intended to represent.
The actress also made another post pointing to the growing number of signatures and a comment from a family member who claimed the mayor “is disqualified from attending the 9/11 remembrance ceremony and ought be barred.” The petition, launched by 9/11 widower Giovanni Galante, cites concerns over Mamdani’s public statements, associations, and responses. Organizers say they want officials overseeing the ceremony to reconsider inviting the mayor, arguing the event should focus on honoring victims and survivors.
Mamdani, however, has rejected calls for his exclusion. Speaking to CBS News New York, the mayor said he intends to attend the ceremony and “proudly honor the families, the survivors [and] the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack.” He added that the anniversary is a day “we will never forget” for New Yorkers and the nation.
Critics are mocking the MAGA actress
Heaton’s endorsement quickly ignited backlash across social media, where many users accused the actress of promoting division rather than remembrance. One Reddit user mocked the campaign by writing, “Banning the mayor… from a ceremony… in the city… he is the mayor of…,” a comment that received thousands of upvotes. Another argued, “It’s not just that, it’s banning someone based on their religion from an event that ultimately demonstrates the unity of a city.”
Others questioned why Heaton, who no longer lives in New York, was weighing in on the controversy. “She’s from Ohio and lives in Tennessee now,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “She maybe overestimating her value in this conversation.” Several users were even more critical of the actress personally. “Everyone hates Patricia,” one commenter joked, while another quipped, “Patricia Hasbeen.” Another user suggested the debate reflected broader issues surrounding political polarization.
The controversy has intensified an already heated debate over who should participate in one of the nation’s most solemn annual memorials, with supporters of the petition arguing it is about preserving the ceremony’s purpose, while critics contend the campaign unfairly targets Mamdani merely because he is Muslim.
