Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York City's first Muslim Mayor | VIDEO
The oath to the Zohran Mamdani, 34-year-old Indian-descent Queens state assemblyman, was administered by Attorney General Letitia James. He was sworn in on a Quran.
Just moments into the New Year 2026, Zohran Mamdani was formally sworn in as the 112th Mayor of the New York City on Thursday. The oath-taking ceremony was organised at the old City Hall subway station, which was attended by Mamdani's close friends and family members, including his wife Rama Duwaji.
The oath to the 34-year-old Indian-descent Queens state assemblyman was administered by Attorney General Letitia James. Mamdani, who will be New York City's first Muslim Mayor, was sworn in on a Quran.
"This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime," said Mamdani, a Democrat, in a brief speech.
Lauding the old City Hall subway station, the Democrat leader said it was a "testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of" the New York City. He also announced that Mike Flynn will be his new Department of Transportation commissioner.
"Thank you all so much, now I will see you later," Mamdani said, while concluding his address.
Who is Zohran Mamdani?
The 34-year-old was born in Uganda's Kampala to Mira Nair (filmmaker) and Mahmood Mamdani (author) on October 18, 1991. Although his family had moved to New York when he was seven-year-old, he became a US citizen only n 2018.
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.
Mamdani's Trump challenge
Mamdani will also face a challenge from US President Donald Trump, who has regularly criticised the Democrat leader. However, Trump had invited Mamdani to White House in November, saying he wanted to discuss jobs and all other important issues with the Democrat.
Later, the two also addressed a joint press conference, with Trump saying that both of them want the development of New York. "I wanted to congratulate the Mayor. He really ran an incredible race against a lot of smart people, starting with the early primaries and he beat them easily," the Republican president had said.