Zohran Mamdani, a rising figure on the American left and a vocal critic of former president Donald Trump, was sworn in early Thursday as New York City’s mayor, becoming the city’s first Muslim leader.
At just 34, Mamdani begins a four-year term that is expected to place him at the centre of national political debates.
The oath of office was administered shortly after midnight at a disused subway station beneath City Hall, a symbolic choice his office said reflected his commitment to working-class New Yorkers and the importance of public transport.
Mamdani took the oath with his hands placed on two copies of the Holy Quran, one inherited from his grandfather and another from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Calling the moment “the honour of a lifetime,” Mamdani described the venue as a reminder of public transit’s role in the city’s identity and wellbeing. The private ceremony was conducted by New York Attorney General Letitia James, with his wife, Rama Duwaji, and parents—filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani—present.
A larger public inauguration is scheduled later in the day, featuring prominent progressive leaders. Born in Uganda to an Indian-origin family, Zohran Mamdani moved to New York as a child and rose quickly from the state assembly to City Hall.
Despite initial business concerns, industry leaders have since dismissed fears of an economic exodus.