NEW YORK 鈥 Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor in the first minutes of the New Year at the historic City Hall subway station, with his wife Rama Duwaji standing by his side.
The oath, in which he pledged to support the Constitution of the United States and the laws of New York, was administered by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
鈥淗appy New Year to New Yorkers, both inside this tunnel and above,鈥 said Mr. Mamdani, standing beneath a vaulted ceiling with the words City Hall over his head. 鈥淭his is truly an honor and a privilege of a lifetime.鈥
Mr. Mamdani was a trailblazing candidate and is expected by many in his city of 8 million — some with hope, some with trepidation — to be a disruptive mayor.
The democratic socialist鈥檚 plans for his first day in office on Thursday nod to his politics and priorities, without straying far from his predecessors with a sober official midnight oath-taking followed by a more celebratory ceremony in the afternoon.
New York law spells out that four-year mayoral terms start on the January 1 after elections. To avoid any ambiguity about who鈥檚 in charge of America鈥檚 most populous city, it has become a tradition to hold a small swearing-in just after midnight.
Mr. Mamdani chose the Old City Hall subway stop, which was decommissioned in the middle of the previous century and is accessible only a few times a year through guided tours, as the site of his swearing in.
The subway site, according to Mr. Mamdani鈥檚 transition team, reflects his 鈥渃ommitment to the working people who keep our city running every day.鈥
Mr. Mamdani, a 34-year-old former state lawmaker, promised a freeze on rents and free buses and childcare, building a campaign around affordability issues that some have seen as a path forward for his Democratic Party around the country ahead of midterm elections.
Mr. Mamdani inspired a record-breaking turnout of more than 2 million voters and took 50 percent, nearly 10 points ahead of Andrew Cuomo running as an independent and well ahead of Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Attorney General James was among his earliest prominent backers. During the first administration of President Donald Trump, Ms. James began investigating his business practices in New York, resulting in a judge finding in 2024 that Mr. Trump fraudulently overstated his net worth to dupe lenders.
The Trump administration has targeted Ms. James during his second term, accusing her of mortgage fraud.
Grant Reeher, a Syracuse University political science professor, said Ms. James鈥檚 role in the inauguration would send a message to core supporters that Mr. Mamdani is 鈥済oing to be independent of the president.鈥
INAUGURATION OF A NEW ERA
The Uganda-born Mr. Mamdani, who will be New York City鈥檚 first Muslim mayor, has been a sharp critic of Mr. Trump on issues such as immigration and said his differences with the president were numerous after a warm White House meeting.
But being sworn-in by the state attorney general may say more about Mr. Mamdani鈥檚 political alliances than rivalries. In 2014 Bill de Blasio, whom Mr. Mamdani regards as the best New York City mayor of his lifetime, was sworn in privately by then-New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at the start of the first of his two terms.
Senator Bernie Sanders, a progressive, Brooklyn-born Vermont senator whom Mr. Mamdani calls his inspiration, presided over Mr. de Blasio鈥檚 public inauguration ceremony in 2018 and will play a similar role for Mr. Mamdani. Liberal Democratic US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is also on the inauguration ceremony agenda.
Plans for Mr. Mamdani鈥檚 public inauguration include a ceremony on City Hall鈥檚 steps and a program of music and speeches in front of 4,000 guests gathered in City Hall Plaza. In addition, tens of thousands of people will be able to watch a livestream of what Mr. Mamdani鈥檚 team has dubbed the 鈥淚nauguration of a New Era鈥 in free viewing areas set up along Broadway.
Mr. Mamdani raised $2.6 million for the transition and celebrations from nearly 30,000 contributors, more than other mayors on record this century, both by the total and single donations, according to official campaign data that presents disclosures of inaugural expenses beginning with Michael Bloomberg鈥檚 first term in 2001.
Sami Zaman, the owner of Astoria鈥檚 low-key Afghan restaurant Sami鈥檚 Kabab House, where Astoria resident Mr. Mamdani filmed a campaign video with Mr. Sanders, was on the inaugural committee alongside filmmakers, writers and activists.
After becoming mayor, Mr. Mamdani will move from his one-bedroom Astoria apartment, protected from sharp price hikes by the city rent-stabilization program, to Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City mayors on Manhattan鈥檚 upscale Upper East Side.
Bankers and others in New York, the nation鈥檚 financial capital, had expressed concern about Mr. Mamdani but since his election many have explored how to work with him.
The city has had another mayor associated with democratic socialism, David Dinkins. Mr. Dinkins did not make much of his association with the Democratic Socialists of America. During his 1990-1993 term he overcame budget deficits and persuaded private businesses to remain in New York, according to city archivists. 鈥 Reuters
