Conservatives criticize New York Governor Hochul for wearing headscarf at mosque visit

Governor Kathy Hochul attended the weekly Jummah service at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, dressing in a charcoal gray suit and a black scarf that many Muslim women wear for modesty. She addressed the congregation, thanked United Nations permanent representative for Kuwait Tareq Albanai, and toured the center’s school facilities, prompting a thank-you note from the institution. Conservative commentators quickly seized on the image; swimmer Riley Gaines mocked the gesture as a feminist ploy, while Texas Congressman Brandon Gill posted the photo to accuse Democrats of double standards.

Former a anchor at one outlet shared the clip with sarcastic remarks, and one outlet co-founder Ben Shapiro linked the visit to recent remarks by Mayor Zohran Mamdani about the 9/11 anniversary. The episode echoes prior criticism Hochul faced from Senator Ted Cruz for wearing a headscarf at a funeral earlier in the year.