NY governor sparks uproar after wearing hijab during appearance at Islamic center 2 weeks from 9/11 anniversary

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul seen wearing a hijab.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was at the center of a major controversy over the weekend after a video showing her wearing a hijab while speaking at an Islamic center in New York City went viral. 

The backlash against Hochul was swift and forceful, with many pointing out that Hochul has often billed herself as a "feminist" in the past only to defy feminist ideology by covering up her hair while addressing a gathering of Muslim men. Many others criticized the timing of the appearance, pointing out that her dress-up stunt occurred less than two weeks from the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, a surprise attack on American in which Islamic extremists killed almost 3,000 people in New York City.

Brandon Gill, U.S. Congressman of Texas, pointed out the hypocrisy in a post on X, saying, Democrats constantly fear-monger that "Republicans are turning America into The Handmaid's Tale!" And then, he suggested, one of the nation's most prominent Democrat governors shows up wearing a hijab in a display that looks like it could be a scene ripped from the Margaret Atwood novel.

Others said the display underscored the nation's mass illegal immigration problem that went largely unchecked until President Donald Trump took office in 2017. "This is what America looks like when you lose a major war-- a war against mass immigration that the GOP refused to fight and in which Dems sided with the enemy," Jeremy Carl, a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, said on X. 

And some simply called for Hochul to be banned from attending the 9/11 memorial service over the stunt. According to The South Shore Press, Hochul has already been asked by a retired Port Authority police group to stay away from any 9/11 commemorations at Ground Zero this year due to actions that the group says have been disrespectful to those who survived 9/11 or lost loved ones in the attacks. Hochul drew similar criticism last year after wearing a hijab in public. 

Back in May, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced similar blowback after appearing at a rally with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and wearing a hijab while speaking to an all-male Muslim audience. As of Monday morning, Hochul had not addressed the controversy. Below, watch footage of Hochul's headscarf-wearing appearance.