New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is clapping back at billionaire Elon Musk after he declared “people will die” over the latest appointment to his administration.
Mamdani, who is set to be inaugurated as New York City’s next mayor on Jan. 1, announced Tuesday that former emergency medical services chief Lillian Bonsignore will lead the New York City Fire Department as commissioner, becoming the second woman to lead FDNY.
Bonsignore, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, has served 31 years in the fire department, finishing her tenure as head of EMS. She gained local notoriety for leading the department through the COVID-19 pandemic, which swept New York City, making it one of the most affected sites of the disease in the U.S.
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“Bonsignore’s calm, decisive leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic— when EMS professionals were more vital than ever— is exactly the kind of leadership our city needs in moments of uncertainty,” Mamdani said during the appointment.
Nevertheless, multiple decades of experience do not seem to be enough for Elon Musk, the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency, who took to X to share his grievances over the appointment, even though his primary residence is not in The Big Apple, but rather in Boca Chica, Texas.
“People will die because of this,” Musk wrote on Friday, responding to Bonsignore’s appointment. “Proven experience matters when lives are at stake.”
Mamdani, however, was quick to respond to the accusations, defending his choice to lead the department by pointing out Bonsignore’s vast experience.
“Experience does matter, which is why I appointed the person who spent more than 30 years at EMS. You know the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?” Mamdani wrote.
Bonsignore’s appointment also riled up other members of the far-right, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who wrote on social media, “a great idea… unless there’s a fire,” as well as podcaster Megyn Kelly, who wrote “here we go again,” alluding that her appointment was related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, which the Trump administration has sought to dismantle.
The soon-to-be commissioner has been highly celebrated within her division, hing risen through the ranks to become a lieutenant in 2002, a captain in 2005, and a deputy chief by 2009. She also responded to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and was deployed from Queens to the World Trade Center.
Her appointment comes as tensions between EMS and FDNY continue to rise, as EMS first responders lee the job at alarming rates due to low pay and pay disparities compared to other first responders.
Interestingly, Bongsignore herself has previously poked fun at some of MAGA’s grievances.
“It’s kind of off that the thing I get celebrated for the most— people are always like, ‘Wow, you’re a woman, and you’re gay’— are the two things I put the least work into,” she told the Daily News in a 2019 interview.
Adding to the controversy, earlier this week, current New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Mark Guerra to serve the role. Mamdani, however, brushed off the move, saying the current mayor, who has been plagued by controversies and legal challenges, is on a ticking clock on Gracie Mansion.
“Lillian’s light is one that can’t be dimmed by anything else that takes place,” Mamdani said. “The mayor is free to continue to be the mayor until the end of this year and make decisions as such.”
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