New York (TDI): Zohran Mamdani was sworn in early Thursday as New York City’s mayor, becoming the first Muslim to hold the office in the nation’s largest city.
The 34-year-old Democrat begins a four-year term amid expectations of bold policy moves and political clashes with national figures, including President Donald Trump.
Mamdani took his oath at an abandoned subway stop beneath City Hall just after midnight, a symbolic venue chosen to reflect his commitment to working people. During his campaign, he emphasized tackling the city’s soaring cost of living, including rent freezes and expanded public services.
His hands rested on two copies of the Holy Quran, one belonging to his grandfather and another from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. “Happy New Year to New Yorkers, both inside this tunnel and above,” Mamdani said beneath the vaulted ceiling of the historic station, calling it “a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality and legacy of our city.”
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The private ceremony was conducted by New York Attorney General Letitia James, known for prosecuting Trump for fraud, AFP reported.
Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, and his parents, filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, were present. A larger, ceremonial inauguration with speeches from allies including Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is scheduled later Thursday, with roughly 4,000 ticketed guests and a block party allowing tens of thousands to watch along Broadway.
Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at age seven. He enjoyed an elite education and a relatively short political career, serving in the New York State Assembly before his historic mayoral win. Despite initial concerns from some business leaders about a potential exodus of wealthy residents, real estate analysts have downplayed such predictions.
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Mamdani’s platform focused on affordability, public transit, free childcare, and progressive policies, capturing the support of more than 2 million voters. He won with 50 percent of the vote, nearly 10 points ahead of former Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, and far ahead of Republican Curtis Sliwa.
