Fuming Mamdani blocked from speaking at fallen NYC soldier’s funeral despite writing speech: ‘He was never called’
By Craig McCarthy,
Matthew Fischetti,
Katherine Donlevy and
Matt Troutman
Published July 31, 2026, 6:32 p.m. ET
They gave him the Zo-ld shoulder.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani was snubbed from eulogizing Army Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad at the fallen soldier’s Queens funeral Friday — and the embarrassing scene unfolded in real time as he fumed while waiting in vain to give his speech, sources revealed.
Mamdani, who was relegated to the fourth row in the Ozone Park church, appeared to be reviewing his planned remarks on an iPad while Gov. Kathy Hochul and other dignitaries, including Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, were called to speak, a source in attendance said.
“They kept calling names and then he was never called,” the source said.
“Then he looked over at his staff, frustrated and seemed angry that he didn’t speak. When he realized his name wasn’t being called, he looked at his staff angrily and then eventually put his tablet away.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani was relegated to the fourth row and snubbed from speaking at a fallen soldier’s funeral. Calvary Assembly of God
City Hall ignored multiple requests for comment over the humiliating turn of events.
The diss came as Mamdani — an avowed democratic socialist who’s harshly critical of Israel and the US war against Iran — remains a divisive political figure both within New York City and across the nation.
Another source involved with the funeral’s planning said Rampersad’s family is pro-President Trump and didn’t want Mamdani to speak.
more
https://nypost.com/2026/07/31/us-news/mamdani-blocked-from-speaking-at-fallen-nyc-soldiers-funeral/
