Mamdani uses first speech to make clear he will stand up to Trump
The New York mayor unapologetically promised to lead as a democratic socialist, issuing a warning to those who believed he might moderate his positions after taking office.
By Anthony Izaguirre
January 1, 2026 — 7.13pm
New York: Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight on Thursday, taking the oath of office at a historic decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.
Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes the oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony in the Old City Hall subway station.Credit: AP
“This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.
The private ceremony, administered by New York Attorney-General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.
In Mamdani’s 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 Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.
The new mayor then closed, “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later”, with a smile, before heading up a flight of stairs.
New York Attorney General Letitia James (left) administers the oath of office to mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, as his wife Rama Duwaji looks on.Credit: AP
Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1pm, local time, by US senator Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes. That will be followed by what his office is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes”, famous for its ticker-tape parades.
Mamdani now begins one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s most-watched politicians.
