Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor in the first minutes of the new year at the historic, decommissioned City Hall subway station, with his wife, Rama Duwaji, standing by his side.
The oath, in which he pledged to support the US constitution and the laws of New York, was administered by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of the US’ biggest city, placing his hand on a Koran as he took his oath.
Photo: Reuters
“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.
In his first remarks as mayor, he said the old subway station was a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city” as he announced the appointment of his new transportation department commissioner, Mike Flynn.
“Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.
Mamdani was to be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1pm by US Senator Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes.
Mamdani was a trailblazing candidate and is expected by many in the city of 8 million — some with hope, some with trepidation — to be a disruptive mayor.
In a campaign that helped make “affordability” 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’s most expensive cities. His platform included free childcare, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.
However, he would also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.
Syracuse University political science professor Grant Reeher said that James’ role in the inauguration would send a message to core supporters that Mamdani is “going to be independent of the [US] president.”
James had led an investigation in US President Donald Trump’s business practices during Trump’s first term.
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