Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in New York City didn’t waste any time pushing back against Elon Musk’s argument that his choice for the new Fire Department head is dangerously inexperienced, as per The Hill. This latest political battle erupted over Mamdani’s appointment of Lillian Bonsignore to lead the Fire Department of New York, or FDNY, an announcement that immediately drew the ire of the tech billionaire.
Musk, who formerly served as an adviser to the White House, took to X, which he controls, to air his grievances. He made an incredibly serious allegation about the potential consequences of the appointment. The billionaire claimed the choice would inevitably lead to tragic outcomes. “People will die because of this,” the tech mogul wrote. “Proven experience matters when lives are at stake.” That’s a huge claim to make, especially about someone stepping into such a critical public safety role.
Musk’s criticism is specifically aimed at Bonsignore’s background. She is a veteran leader of the city’s Emergency Medical Services, or EMS, but she hasn’t risen through the traditional firefighter ranks. Despite the controversy, this appointment is historic for several reasons. Bonsignore is set to become the first openly gay fire commissioner in New York City history, and she will be only the second woman to ever lead the massive department.
Mamdani wasn’t about to let Musk’s broadside go unanswered
Mamdani responded directly on X, delivering a sharp and statistically backed rebuttal that really changed the focus of the debate. The mayor-elect conceded that experience absolutely matters, but he then pointed out that Bonsignore has more than 30 years of service under her belt at EMS. “You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?” Mamdani wrote in his response.
If you’re keeping score at home, Mamdani is essentially saying that the majority of the department’s actual daily workload, seven out of every ten calls, is handled by the division Bonsignore knows inside and out. It sounds like she has decades of experience managing the precise type of emergencies that keep the FDNY busiest.
This isn’t the first time Musk has found himself at odds with the New York Mayor-elect. Musk has previously railed against Mamdani, aligning himself with some officials from the current President Trump administration who have condemned Mamdani’s policy proposals, which are aligned with democratic socialism. It’s clear that the tech executive has a fundamental political disagreement with the incoming administration’s overall direction, and this latest personnel decision just gave him fresh ammunition.
However, the mayor-elect’s defense of Bonsignore is strong. By highlighting her three decades in the field and the fact that EMS handles 70% of all calls, Mamdani shifts the focus from traditional firefighting experience to overall emergency response management. In a modern metropolitan fire department, that kind of high-volume, broad-scope leadership is incredibly valuable.
Published: Dec 29, 2025 04:30 pm