'Which is why...': Zohran Mamdani fires back at Elon Musk over appointment of gay FDNY chief

New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani clapped back at Elon Musk who said people would die because of Mamdani's appointment of Lilian Bonsignore, an openly gay LGBTQ activist, as the chief of the Fire Department of New York. "People will die because of this. Proven experience matters when lives are at stake." Elon Musk said, reacting to a post of Mamdani's announcement. After Elon Musk's reaction, the issue emerged as a crucial social media topic of discussion as many pointed out that Bonsignore had no experience in firefighting.

"Here we go again," wrote Megyn Kelly criticizing the appointment. “Zohran Mamdani appointed Lillian Bonsignore as new FDNY Commissioner. Only problem is…she’s never been a firefighter. Word of advice, you can’t put out fires with rainbow flags,” said conservative Infowars talk-show host Breanna Morello on X.


"Mamdani is celebrating appointing the first openly gay FDNY commissioner who never served as a firefighter. No fireground experience. No time in the job. But lots of identity points. Apparently running the largest fire department in America does not require actually being a firefighter anymore. Good luck New York. You are going to need it," one wrote.

“This is a freaking train wreck,” Eric Daugherty, chief content officer for RightLine News, wrote. “Glad I don’t live in NYC.”



"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 replied.

"I know the job. I know what the firefighters need and I can translate that to this administration who's willing to listen," Bonsignore said.

Bonsignore, a 31-year member of the FDNY as an emergency medical technician who retired in 2022, will be just the second woman to run New York’s Bravest in the department’s history. She is also an LGBTQ trailblazer who will serve as the FDNY’s first openly gay commissioner.