Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism
New York governor's gesture of respect at Islamic center draws backlash from Republican figures and commentators.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism
Photograph: The Economic Times (embedded from source)
What this story says
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul wore a hijab during a visit to the Islamic Cultural Center of New York.
- Hochul stated the gesture was intended to show respect for the Muslim community and its religious customs.
- Conservative commentators and Republican figures criticized Hochul's appearance, with some accusing her of hypocrisy.
- The event took place two weeks before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 40 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 5 of the 45 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
42/100
Craft
55/100
Hype
68/100
45 sources · methodology
Missing from the left
Only 7 of the 40 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated left.
A reader who follows the left would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul wore a hijab during a visit to the Islamic Cultural Center of New York. She stated that the gesture was meant to show respect for the Muslim community and its religious customs. The event occurred approximately two weeks before the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Criticism and Counter-Criticism
Hochul's appearance drew criticism from conservative commentators and Republican figures. Some critics accused the governor of hypocrisy, contrasting her gesture with the Democratic Party's emphasis on women's rights. The Economic Times reported that conservative commentators and Republican figures quickly turned the appearance into a political controversy. HuffPost noted that right-wing personalities accused the governor of subjugating herself and 'bowing to the third world.' The National Pulse reported criticism for hypocrisy given Democrats' frequent comparisons of conservative values to 'The Handmaid's Tale.' Independent Sentinel reported critics questioned how the gesture squares with the party’s longstanding emphasis on women’s rights.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mention the specific claims made by some critics that the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, or its imam, had previously blamed Jews for 9/11, a detail noted in Independent Sentinel.
Coverage settled. We checked this 23 times and stopped on 6 Sept 2026, 11:15. The figures above are what it finished at.
How other outlets pictured it
Which photograph to run is each newsroom’s own choice. The leaning beside a name is that outlet’s published rating, not a claim that the pictures divide along it. Every picture is shown from the outlet’s own server and links to the article it ran in.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
7 rated outlets
- Left-rated reports focused on the criticism Hochul received, framing it as a 'ridiculous' or 'ugly MAGA pile-on.' HuffPost's headline stated, 'MAGA Ridiculously Pounces On NY Governor For What She Wore.' OK! Magazine reported that Spencer Pratt and MAGA allies slammed Hochul for wearing a hijab, quoting 'Bowing to the Third World.' Mediaite also highlighted Spencer Pratt and MAGA figures bashing Hochul, using the same quote. HuffPost noted that Hochul had faced similar criticism the previous year and had responded by stating she was showing respect for a 'grieving family’s faith.'
Centre
8 rated outlets
- Centre-rated reports highlighted the conservative backlash against Governor Hochul for wearing a headscarf at an Islamic center. Internewscast's headline read, 'Hochul Faces Conservative Backlash Over Islamic Center Head Scarf.' Reality Tea and Mandatory reported that reality TV personality Spencer Pratt targeted Hochul over her hijab, noting his remarks came as she faced criticism from Pratt and other pro-Trump voices online. The Economic Times reported that Hochul said the gesture was meant to show respect for the Muslim community and its religious customs, but that conservative commentators and Republican figures quickly turned the appearance into a political controversy.
Right
25 rated outlets
- Right-rated reports predominantly focused on the criticism directed at Governor Hochul, often framing her action as pandering or hypocritical. Headlines included 'Bending knee to Islam': Gov. Hochul’s hijab sparks outrage in NY, two weeks before 9/11 anniversary (The Economic Times, Times of India) and 'NY Gov wears hijab to pander to Muslim men ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11' (Louder With Crowder). Mycharisma.com reported that viral images fueled a debate over Democrats, feminism, and Islam, pointing to a contradiction between Democratic messaging and approaches to Islamic customs. Legal Insurrection stated, 'This is nothing more than pandering, and it's an utter disgrace.' Twitchy's headline read, 'Fight the Patriarchy, Unless It’s Muslims: Kathy HOCHUL Slaps on a Hijab Weeks Before 9/11.' Independent Sentinel noted that the governor visited an Islamic center where an imam had blamed Jews for 9/11.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism?
- Of the 40 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 18% are rated left, 19% are rated centre, 63% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 45. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 40 rated outlets on this story, 18% are rated left, 19% are rated centre, 63% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism biased?
- Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism is one event reported by 45 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated left had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered Governor Hochul Wears Hijab, Sparks Conservative Criticism?
- 45 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- Why did Governor Hochul wear a hijab?
- Governor Kathy Hochul stated that she wore a hijab during a visit to the Islamic Cultural Center of New York as a gesture of respect for the Muslim community and its religious customs. The appearance occurred two weeks before the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
- Who criticized Governor Hochul's appearance?
- Conservative commentators and Republican figures criticized Governor Hochul's appearance. Some critics accused her of hypocrisy, questioning how the gesture aligned with the Democratic Party's emphasis on women's rights.
- How did left-leaning outlets describe the criticism?
- Left-leaning outlets described the criticism as a 'ridiculous' or 'ugly MAGA pile-on.' They highlighted comments from figures like Spencer Pratt and noted that Hochul had faced similar criticism previously, which she had addressed by stating she was showing respect for a grieving family's faith.
- What detail was noted by some right-leaning reports?
- Some right-leaning reports, such as Independent Sentinel, noted that the Islamic center Hochul visited had an imam who had previously blamed Jews for 9/11. This detail was not mentioned in the left- or centre-rated reports.
Read it at the source
46 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
7- Jewish leader slams Bruce Blakeman for 'Islamophobia' after post of Hochul in a hijab (opens Jewish Telegraphic Agency in a new tab)
Jewish Telegraphic Agency — is Jewish Telegraphic Agency biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Sparks MAGA Meltdown After Wearing Hijab To Islamic Cultural Center (opens Comic Sands in a new tab)
Comic Sands — is Comic Sands biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The Veil of New York Governor Kathy Hookhole Is Inflaming the Controversy in America. (opens aljazeera.net in a new tab)
aljazeera.net — is aljazeera.net biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Yes, Kathy Hochul covered her head while speaking at NYC mosque (opens Snopes in a new tab)
- Spencer Pratt and MAGA Allies Slam NY Gov Kathy Hochul for Wearing Hijab at Islamic Center: 'Bowing to the Third World' (opens OK! Magazine in a new tab)
OK! Magazine — is OK! Magazine biased? Our profile of this outlet
- MAGA Ridiculously Pounces On NY Governor For What She Wore (opens HuffPost in a new tab)
- Spencer Pratt and MAGA Bash NY Gov Kathy Hochul for Sporting Hijab at Islamic Center: ‘Bowing to the Third World’ (opens Mediaite in a new tab)
Centre
8- Muslim leaders reel over what they see as Blakeman's Islamophobic social media post (opens Newsday in a new tab)
- New York governor's hijab sparks outrage ahead of 9/11 anniversary (opens dailymail.com in a new tab)
dailymail.com — is dailymail.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Hochul Faces Conservative Backlash Over Islamic Center Head Scarf (opens Internewscast in a new tab)
Internewscast — is Internewscast biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Spencer Pratt Targets NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Over Hijab in Ugly MAGA Pile-On (opens Reality Tea in a new tab)
Reality Tea — is Reality Tea biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Spencer Pratt Targets NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Over Hijab in Ugly MAGA Pile-On (opens Mandatory in a new tab)
- 'Bending knee to Islam': Gov. Hochul’s hijab sparks outrage in NY, two weeks before 9/11 anniversary (opens The Economic Times in a new tab)
The Economic Times — is The Economic Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Hochul wears hijab at NYC Islamic center ahead of 9/11 anniversary, sparking backlash (opens KRCR in a new tab)
- Kathy Hochul Wears Headscarf at Muslim NYPD Officer’s Funeral (opens cedarnews.net in a new tab)
cedarnews.net — is cedarnews.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
26- 'Working hard to get the Arab Vote': Trump's hijab jab sends Hochul into a rage (opens Conservative Review in a new tab)
Conservative Review — is Conservative Review biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 'Working hard to get the Arab Vote': Trump's hijab jab sends Hochul into a rage (opens The Blaze in a new tab)
- New York Governor Wears Hijab For Muslim Men Just Ahead Of 9/11 Anniversary (opens Hot Air in a new tab)
- 'Slay, Kween': Trump and Pratt Roast Hochul's Mosque Headscarf Stunt (opens RedState in a new tab)
- PHOTO — New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul Torched for Wearing Muslim Hijab: 'Feminist Icon' (opens Breitbart in a new tab)
- NEWS HEADLINES: N.Y.: Gov. Hochul faces backlash and mockery after wearing headscarf during appearance at Islamic Center – One America News Network (opens U-S-NEWS.COM in a new tab)
U-S-NEWS.COM — is U-S-NEWS.COM biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Conservatives slam Hochul for wearing head scarf at Islamic center (opens New York Post in a new tab)
New York Post — is New York Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Viral Kathy Hochul Hijab Images Fuel Stunning Debate Over Democrats, Feminism and Islam - Charisma Magazine Online (opens mycharisma.com in a new tab)
mycharisma.com — is mycharisma.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 18 more
- N.Y.: Gov. Hochul faces backlash and mockery after wearing headscarf during appearance at Islamic Center (opens OAN in a new tab)
- New York Democrat gov. wears Muslim hijab 2 weeks before 9/11 anniversary (opens LifeSiteNews in a new tab)
LifeSiteNews — is LifeSiteNews biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New York’s Dem Governor Dons Hijab Ahead of 9/11 Anniversary. (opens The National Pulse in a new tab)
The National Pulse — is The National Pulse biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Hochul Dons a Hijab (opens American Faith in a new tab)
American Faith — is American Faith biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 'Bending knee to Islam': Gov. Hochul’s hijab sparks outrage in NY, two weeks before 9/11 anniversary (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Feminist New York Governor Sports Hijab While Pandering To Muslim Voters (opens Zero Hedge in a new tab)
Zero Hedge — is Zero Hedge biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- NY Gov wears hijab to pander to Muslim men ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 (opens Louder With Crowder in a new tab)
Louder With Crowder — is Louder With Crowder biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Hijabbed Gov. Hochul Visits Islamic Ctr. Where Imam Blamed Jews for 9/11 (opens Independent Sentinel in a new tab)
Independent Sentinel — is Independent Sentinel biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Spencer Pratt unloads after hijab-clad Hochul visits Islamic center: ‘What are we doing?’ (opens Bizpac Review in a new tab)
Bizpac Review — is Bizpac Review biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New York Governor Kathy Hochul Dons Hijab for Event at Muslim Organization (opens Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion in a new tab)
Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion — is Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Spencer Pratt unloads after hijab-clad Hochul visits Islamic center: ‘What are we doing?’ · American Wire News (opens American Wire News in a new tab)
American Wire News — is American Wire News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ‘Slay, kween!’ Spencer Pratt joins MAGA pile-on after ‘feminist’ Kathy Hochul dons hijab - The Daily Bo Snerdley (opens thedailybs.com in a new tab)
thedailybs.com — is thedailybs.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New York Governor Wears Hijab For Muslim Men Just Ahead Of 9/11 Anniversary (opens The Daily Wire in a new tab)
The Daily Wire — is The Daily Wire biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Dons Hijab While Speaking to Group of Muslim Men * The Gateway Pundit * by Ben Kew (opens The Gateway Pundit in a new tab)
The Gateway Pundit — is The Gateway Pundit biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul BLASTED After Wearing Hijab While Speaking to Muslim Men (opens WLTReport in a new tab)
- NY governor spotted wearing a hijab (opens WIN in a new tab)
- Fight the Patriarchy — Unless It’s Muslims: Kathy HOCHUL Slaps on a Hijab Weeks Before 9/11 (opens Twitchy in a new tab)
Twitchy — is Twitchy biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- NY Gov. Hochul Ditches 'Feminist' Routine to Don Hijab for Muslim Men (opens RedState in a new tab)
RedState
Not rated
5- New York Governor Kathy Hochul Faces Backlash After Wearing Hijab (opens NewsFinale in a new tab)
NewsFinale — is NewsFinale biased? Our profile of this outlet
- WSR Interviews the Governor of New York on the Upper West Side (opens westsiderag.com in a new tab)
westsiderag.com — is westsiderag.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Faced Criticism Over Support for Muslim Community: 'What is wrong with this woman' (opens The Nerd Stash in a new tab)
The Nerd Stash — is The Nerd Stash biased? Our profile of this outlet
- ALLAHU AKHBAR: Hochul Dons Hijab During Visit to Islamic Center (opens matzav.com in a new tab)
matzav.com — is matzav.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Rep. Brandon Gil MIC DROPS on NY Governor Hochul and Hypocrite Democrats After Hochul Bows Down to Muslim Anti-Women Policies - Politics, Policy, Political Views (opens Politics, Policy, Political News in a new tab)
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