Mamdani Takes Oath as New York’s First Muslim Mayor in Historic Midnight Ceremony

Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at the historic, decommissioned Old City Hall subway station in Manhattan, marking a series of firsts for America’s largest city.

Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of New York, placing his hand on a Quran as New York Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath. At 34, he is also the youngest mayor in generations and the first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa.

“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in his brief remarks following the private ceremony.

The atmospheric subway station, with its stunning arched ceilings and architectural details, provided a symbolic backdrop for the new mayor, who immediately emphasized public infrastructure as a priority for his administration.

“This location is a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city,” Mamdani said before announcing the appointment of Mike Flynn as his new Department of Transportation commissioner.

Mamdani will be sworn in again, in a more public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m., with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes, administering the oath. The formal ceremony will be followed by what his office describes as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes,” famous for its ticker-tape parades.

The new mayor campaigned on a platform focused on affordability in one of the world’s most expensive cities. His progressive agenda includes implementing free child care, free bus service, a rent freeze for approximately one million households, and a pilot program for city-run grocery stores—policies that resonated with voters struggling with the high cost of living.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, to filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, the new mayor moved to New York City at age 7 and grew up in a post-9/11 environment where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018. Prior to seeking public office, he worked on campaigns for Democratic candidates before winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 representing a section of Queens.

Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will leave their one-bedroom, rent-stabilized apartment in Queens to take up residence in Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The new mayor inherits a city that has largely bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows, tourism has rebounded, and unemployment has returned to pre-COVID levels. However, concerns about housing affordability and the rising cost of living remain significant challenges that his administration will need to address.

One of the most pressing challenges for the new administration will be navigating its relationship with Republican President Donald Trump. During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from New York if Mamdani won and suggested sending National Guard troops to the city.

However, in a surprising turn, Trump invited the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November. “I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said after the meeting. Despite this temporary détente, tensions between the two leaders are likely to resurface given their fundamental policy disagreements, particularly regarding immigration.

Mamdani also faces skepticism from some members of the city’s Jewish community over his past criticisms of Israel’s government, another challenge he’ll need to navigate in the diverse city.

In preparation for taking office, Mamdani has surrounded himself with experienced staff familiar with city government. One of his most significant moves was persuading Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch to remain in her position—a decision that helped ease concerns in the business community about potential radical changes to policing strategy.

As Mamdani begins one of the most demanding and scrutinized jobs in American politics, he faces the dual challenges of implementing his progressive agenda while managing the day-to-day operations of a complex city—from trash collection and snow removal to addressing subway delays and infrastructure needs.