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New York Attorney General Letitia James, left, administers the oath of office to mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, center, as his wife Rama Duwaji looks on, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New York. (Amir Hamja\/The New York Times via AP, Pool) via Associated Press<\/p>\n
NEW YORK (AP) \u2014\u00a0Zohran Mamdani<\/a>\u00a0became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.<\/p>\n Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America\u2019s biggest city, placing his hand on a\u00a0Quran<\/a>\u00a0as he took his oath.<\/p>\n Politics: Gov. Gavin Newsom Trolls Trump And MAGA Rocker With Savage Two-Word Label<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,\u201d Mamdani said in a brief speech.<\/p>\n The private ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city\u2019s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.<\/p>\n In Mamdani\u2019s first remarks as mayor, he said the old subway station was a \u201ctestament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city\u201d as he announced the appointment of his new Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.<\/p>\n The new mayor then closed: \u201cThank you all so much, now I will see you later,\u201d he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.<\/p>\n New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani signs a registry as city clerk Michael McSweeney holds the book after Mamdani was sworn in as mayor, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo\/Yuki Iwamura) via Associated Press<\/p>\n Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m. by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor\u2019s political heroes. That will be followed by what his office is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the \u201cCanyon of Heroes,\u201d famous for its ticker-tape parades.<\/p>\n Mamdani now begins\u00a0one of the most unrelenting jobs<\/a>\u00a0in American politics as one of the country\u2019s most-watched politicians.<\/p>\n Politics: \u2018Rot In Hell\u2019: Trump Blasts Governor For Not Honoring His Pretend Pardon<\/a><\/p>\n In addition to being the city\u2019s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city\u2019s youngest mayor in generations.<\/p>\n In a campaign that helped make \u201caffordability\u201d a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world\u2019s most expensive cities. His platform included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.<\/p>\n NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 31: New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announces a series of top appointments, including the city\u2019s new schools chancellor, ahead of his swearing-in on December 31, 2025, in New York City. Mamdani announced Kamar Samuels as the chancellor of New York City Public Schools. (Photo by Spencer Platt\/Getty Images) Spencer Platt via Getty Images<\/p>\n But he will also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.<\/p>\n Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9\/11 city where Muslims didn\u2019t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018.<\/p>\n Politics: The Coming War Over AI Will Define The 2026 Midterms<\/a><\/p>\n He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens.<\/p>\n Mamdani and\u00a0his wife<\/a>, Rama Duwaji, will depart their\u00a0one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment<\/a>\u00a0in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan.<\/p>\n Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels.<\/p>\n Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents in the city.<\/p>\n He\u2019ll also have to deal with Republican President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n FILE – Zohran Mamdani speaks during a victory speech at a mayoral election night watch party, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo\/Yuki Iwamura, File) via Associated Press<\/p>\n During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city.<\/p>\n But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for\u00a0what ended up being<\/a>\u00a0a cordial meeting in November.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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