Zohran Mamdani, the young upstart of the US left, was sworn in to take over as New York mayor for a four-year term sure to see him cross swords with US President Donald Trump.
The 34-year-old Democrat took his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop under City Hall just after midnight to take the helm of the United States’ largest city. He will be New York’s first Muslim mayor.
His office said the understated venue beneath City Hall reflected his commitment to working people, after the 34-year-old Democrat campaigned on promises to address the soaring cost of living.
Mamdani took the oath with his hands on two copies of the Holy Quran — one belonging to his grandfather and the other from the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Centre for Research in Black Culture.
“Happy New Year to New Yorkers, both inside this tunnel and above,” said Mamdani, standing beneath a vaulted ceiling with the words City Hall over his head. “This is truly an honour and a privilege of a lifetime.”
He also called the ornate subway station “a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health, and the legacy of our city”.
Mamdani’s private swearing-in to start his four-year term was performed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud. His wife, Rama Duwaji, was also present alongside him.
