Zohran Mamdani sworn in as first Muslim New York City Mayor

Democratic politician Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as the first Muslim Mayor of New York City.

New York Attorney General Letitia James oversaw his inauguration at midnight, as the city ushered in the new year.

Mamdani’s wife, the artist Rama Duwaji, held out a Quran over which Mamdani took his oath of office.

In his first remarks as mayor, Mamdani described the site as a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city,” as he announced Mike Flynn as his commissioner of the Department of Transportation.

He closed by telling those gathered, “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” before heading upstairs from the station.

Mamdani is scheduled to be sworn in again at a public ceremony at City Hall later Thursday, with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders administering the oath.

The event will be followed by a public block party on Broadway’s “Canyon of Heroes.”

At 34, Mamdani is the youngest mayor New York City has had in generations. He is also the city’s first mayor of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani moved to New York City at age 7.

He became an American citizen in 2018 and later won a seat in the New York State Assembly in 2020, representing part of Queens.

His campaign centered on affordability, with proposals that included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households and a pilot program for city-run grocery stores.

Mamdani takes office as New York City continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, with violent crime, unemployment and tourism returning to pre-pandemic levels. High prices and rising rents remain major concerns.

He will also have to navigate a relationship with Republican President Donald Trump, who threatened during the campaign to withhold federal funding if Mamdani won but later invited him to the White House.

“I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.

Mamdani has spent the weeks since his election preparing for the transition, including retaining Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a move that helped ease concerns among business leaders.

Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, are expected to move from their rent-stabilized apartment into the official mayoral residence in Manhattan.

All photo credits: Associated Press (AP)