Zohran Mamdani sworn in as NYC Mayor, pledges working-class transformation
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Jan 02, 2026, 23:57 IST
Zohran Mamdani made history as New York City's inaugural Muslim mayor, stepping into office with a mission to prioritize working families. He wasted no time in dismantling ineffective executive orders from his predecessor. His groundbreaking agenda included ambitious plans for new housing developments and enhanced tenant protections, ensuring that affordability remains at the forefront.
Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as the mayor of New York City on Thursday, taking on the demanding role with a commitment to transforming government for the city's working class. He was inaugurated at a decommissioned subway station below City Hall, placing his hand on a Quran for his oath as the city's first Muslim mayor. Later, at a public inauguration, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders administered the oath for a second time. Mamdani promised to govern expansively and audaciously, stating, "No longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers' lives."
Throngs gathered in the cold for an inauguration viewing party on Broadway, a stretch known as the "Canyon of Heroes." Mamdani immediately began his work by revoking executive orders from the previous administration, issued after former Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on corruption charges in September 2024. These charges were later dismissed following intervention by the Trump administration. He then visited Brooklyn to announce the revitalization of a city office dedicated to protecting tenants and the creation of two task forces focused on housing construction.
Mamdani's victory was fueled by a platform centered on using government power to address the city's high cost of living. He spoke of workers in steel-toed boots, halal cart vendors, and cooks, emphasizing his commitment to their struggles.
“I was elected as a democratic socialist and I will govern as a democratic socialist,” Mamdani said. “I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed ‘radical.’”
Bernie Sanders, who administered the oath, supported Mamdani's vision, stating that raising taxes on the wealthy is not radical but rather the right and decent thing to do in the richest country in the world.
Mamdani was accompanied by his wife, Rama Duwaji, and former Mayor Eric Adams and former Mayor Bill de Blasio were in attendance. Actor Mandy Patinkin sang "Over the Rainbow" with a children's chorus, and Imam Khalid Latif gave the invocation. Poet Cornelius Eady read an original poem.
Mamdani is the city's first Muslim mayor, first of South Asian descent, and first to be born in Africa. At 34, he is also the youngest mayor in generations.
At the watch party on Broadway, onlookers braved the cold, watching on jumbotrons and sharing hot cocoa. Many felt they were witnessing history. Ariel Segura, a 16-year-old, expressed his excitement and the need for accountability.
Mamdani's campaign focused on affordability, promising free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for approximately one million households, and a pilot program for city-run grocery stores. He vowed not to squander the opportunity to implement these policies.
“A moment like this comes rarely. Seldom do we hold such an opportunity to transform and reinvent. Rarer still is it the people themselves whose hands are on the levers of change. And yet we know that too often in our past, moments of great possibility have been promptly surrendered to small imagination and smaller ambition," he said.
He also acknowledged the everyday challenges of running a large city, including managing services and addressing infrastructure issues. Mamdani recognized the scrutiny he would face.
“They want to know if the left can govern. They want to know if the struggles that afflict them can be solved. They want to know if it is right to hope again," he said. "So, standing together with the wind of purpose at our backs, we will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone else: We will set an example for the world.”
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani. His family moved to New York City when he was seven. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018. Before seeking office, he worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates. He won a state Assembly seat in 2020, representing a district in Queens. Mamdani and his wife will move into the mayoral residence in Manhattan.
New York City is experiencing an upswing, with violent crime at pre-pandemic lows and tourism and employment returning to previous levels. However, concerns about high prices and rising rents persist. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praised New Yorkers for choosing "courage over fear" and "prosperity for the many over spoils for the few."
During the mayoral race, President Donald Trump had threatened to withhold federal funding and deploy National Guard troops if Mamdani won. However, Trump later met with Mamdani at the White House in a cordial meeting.
“I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.
Tensions are expected to resurface due to policy disagreements, particularly on immigration. Speakers at the inauguration criticized the Trump administration's immigration policies and expressed hope that Mamdani's administration would support targeted immigrants. Mamdani also faces opposition from some members of the Jewish community due to his criticisms of the Israeli government. Despite these challenges, supporters expressed optimism that Mamdani would be a unifying force. Mary Hammann, a musician, compared the feeling to the city coming together when the Mets won the World Series in 1986.
Throngs gathered in the cold for an inauguration viewing party on Broadway, a stretch known as the "Canyon of Heroes." Mamdani immediately began his work by revoking executive orders from the previous administration, issued after former Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on corruption charges in September 2024. These charges were later dismissed following intervention by the Trump administration. He then visited Brooklyn to announce the revitalization of a city office dedicated to protecting tenants and the creation of two task forces focused on housing construction.
Mamdani's victory was fueled by a platform centered on using government power to address the city's high cost of living. He spoke of workers in steel-toed boots, halal cart vendors, and cooks, emphasizing his commitment to their struggles.
“I was elected as a democratic socialist and I will govern as a democratic socialist,” Mamdani said. “I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed ‘radical.’”
Bernie Sanders, who administered the oath, supported Mamdani's vision, stating that raising taxes on the wealthy is not radical but rather the right and decent thing to do in the richest country in the world.
Mamdani was accompanied by his wife, Rama Duwaji, and former Mayor Eric Adams and former Mayor Bill de Blasio were in attendance. Actor Mandy Patinkin sang "Over the Rainbow" with a children's chorus, and Imam Khalid Latif gave the invocation. Poet Cornelius Eady read an original poem.
Mamdani is the city's first Muslim mayor, first of South Asian descent, and first to be born in Africa. At 34, he is also the youngest mayor in generations.
At the watch party on Broadway, onlookers braved the cold, watching on jumbotrons and sharing hot cocoa. Many felt they were witnessing history. Ariel Segura, a 16-year-old, expressed his excitement and the need for accountability.
Mamdani's campaign focused on affordability, promising free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for approximately one million households, and a pilot program for city-run grocery stores. He vowed not to squander the opportunity to implement these policies.
“A moment like this comes rarely. Seldom do we hold such an opportunity to transform and reinvent. Rarer still is it the people themselves whose hands are on the levers of change. And yet we know that too often in our past, moments of great possibility have been promptly surrendered to small imagination and smaller ambition," he said.
He also acknowledged the everyday challenges of running a large city, including managing services and addressing infrastructure issues. Mamdani recognized the scrutiny he would face.
“They want to know if the left can govern. They want to know if the struggles that afflict them can be solved. They want to know if it is right to hope again," he said. "So, standing together with the wind of purpose at our backs, we will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone else: We will set an example for the world.”
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, to filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani. His family moved to New York City when he was seven. He became a U.S. citizen in 2018. Before seeking office, he worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates. He won a state Assembly seat in 2020, representing a district in Queens. Mamdani and his wife will move into the mayoral residence in Manhattan.
New York City is experiencing an upswing, with violent crime at pre-pandemic lows and tourism and employment returning to previous levels. However, concerns about high prices and rising rents persist. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praised New Yorkers for choosing "courage over fear" and "prosperity for the many over spoils for the few."
During the mayoral race, President Donald Trump had threatened to withhold federal funding and deploy National Guard troops if Mamdani won. However, Trump later met with Mamdani at the White House in a cordial meeting.
“I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.
Tensions are expected to resurface due to policy disagreements, particularly on immigration. Speakers at the inauguration criticized the Trump administration's immigration policies and expressed hope that Mamdani's administration would support targeted immigrants. Mamdani also faces opposition from some members of the Jewish community due to his criticisms of the Israeli government. Despite these challenges, supporters expressed optimism that Mamdani would be a unifying force. Mary Hammann, a musician, compared the feeling to the city coming together when the Mets won the World Series in 1986.