Incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing backlash after appointing former EMS operations chief Lillian Bonsignore to run the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY).
Critics have been sounding the alarm over the choice, specifically due to her lack of frontline firefighting command experience.
WATCH:
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who served in President Donald Trump’s administration, criticized the decision on Friday, warning that appointing a commissioner without direct operational firefighting leadership could jeopardize public safety.
“People will die because of this,” Musk wrote on X.
“Proven experience matters when lives are at stake.”
People will die because of this. Proven experience matters when lives are at stake. https://t.co/HV4kodU2aI
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 26, 2025
Mamdani, who will take office on January 1, tapped Bonsignore earlier this week, describing her as a crisis-tested leader from her tenure overseeing EMS operations during the pandemic.
Bonsignore, a 31-year FDNY veteran who retired in 2022, previously became the first woman in department history to hold a four-star rank.
“The first woman to achieve a 4-star rank in FDNY history, she’s joining us as the FDNY Commissioner to bring her crisis leadership and operational expertise to this administration,” Mamdani wrote on X.
Bonsignore will be only the second woman ever to lead the FDNY and the first openly gay person to hold the post.
At a Tuesday press conference announcing her appointment, Bonsignore said:
“I am honored, so honored, and humbled to stand before you as the new fire commissioner.
“This appointment represents a significant responsibility, one I accept with humility, dedication, and a deep sense of commitment to the city and its people.”
Critics, however, argue that leading EMS operations is not equivalent to commanding firefighting services, which oversee suppression response, rescue operations, and incident command in life-threatening emergencies.
Musk’s comments echoed those concerns, warning that political symbolism should not outweigh operational qualifications.
Mamdani pushed back on the criticism, defending his pick in a response posted Saturday.
“Experience does matter, which is why I appointed the person who spent more than 30 years at EMS,” he wrote.
“You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?”
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? https://t.co/shTYVvvy4C
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) December 27, 2025
Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams also announced an appointment of his own this week, naming FDNY First Deputy Commissioner Mark Guerra to a leadership role ahead of the administration transition.
“Under our administration, keeping New Yorkers safe and protected has always been our North Star, and having principled, qualified public servants in place to lead our critical public safety agencies is crucial to fulfilling that goal; there’s no person who meets those high standards (like) Commissioner Mark Guerra,” Adams said Tuesday.
Mamdani dismissed any suggestion that the overlapping appointments undermined his incoming administration, telling reporters he remains confident in his choice.
“Lillian’s light is one that can’t be dimmed by anything else that takes place,” Mamdani said, according to FOX 5.
“The mayor is free to continue to be the mayor until the end of this year and make decisions as such.”
Bonsignore’s selection comes as FDNY faces internal strain, budget pressures, and elevated response demands across fire, rescue, and EMS divisions.
Supporters describe her as a seasoned crisis manager.
Critics warn that, in a department where lives hinge on split-second tactical decisions, the commissioner must have deep firefighting command experience.
Musk’s remarks underscore a broader debate over whether America’s largest municipal fire department is being reshaped around politics rather than operational readiness and whether New Yorkers could pay the price for the Democrats’ socialist experiment.
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