Zohran Mamdani Sworn In as New York City Mayor

Zohran Mamdani is now officially serving as the Mayor of New York City after commencing his historic term in a unique manner.

The 34-year-old took the oath of office just after midnight on Thursday in a private ceremony conducted by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The oath ceremony was held at the historic City Hall subway station, one of the city’s original stops.

This historic ceremony saw Mamdani becoming the first Muslim mayor of NYC. He was accompanied by his wife, Rama Duwaji. A larger public ceremony is set for later on Thursday at City Hall, where Mamdani will be officially introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Senator Bernie Sanders is also expected to be in attendance.

Mamdani emerged victorious in the mayoral race in November, defeating Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. Despite being labeled a “communist” by critics, Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist, aligning himself politically with Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez.

In his victory speech on election night, Mamdani pledged to confront oligarchy and authoritarianism “with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves.”