Democratic socialist takes oath on historic Quran, vows to govern expansively as city’s first Muslim mayor
Zohran Kwame Mamdani made history on January 1, 2026, becoming New York City’s first Muslim mayor and first mayor of South Asian descent when he was sworn in at the decommissioned City Hall subway station just after midnight. The 34-year-old took his oath on two copies of the Quranone belonging to his grandfather and another historic version from the Schomburg Centerheld by his wife, Rama Duwaji.
A Historic Swearing-In Ceremony
Mamdani’s private ceremony was administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James in the ornate 1904 subway station known for its arched ceilings. Hours later, at a public celebration outside City Hall that drew tens of thousands of supporters, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an ideological ally, administered the oath again as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive luminaries looked on. The mayor promised to govern the sprawling metropolis “expansively and audaciously,” declaring he would not abandon his democratic socialist principles for fear of being labeled radical.
Campaign Promises Meet Governance Reality
Mamdani’s election in November 2025 marked a stunning political upset, with the state assemblyman defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary and then the general election with over one million votesthe highest total for any NYC mayoral candidate since 1969. His platform centered on affordability, including pledges to freeze rent on stabilized apartments, expand childcare, establish city-owned grocery stores, and invest in transit. On his first day, he immediately signed executive orders revoking those issued by his predecessor Eric Adams after Adams’ September 2024 federal indictment on bribery charges.
Reshaping Housing and Tenant Protections
Among his first acts, Mamdani revoked two Adams executive orders that had defined some Israel criticism as antisemitic under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition. He appointed Cea Weaver, a longtime tenant advocate, as director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, and announced three housing-related executive orders designed to address New York’s ongoing affordability crisis. The mayor established task forces to identify city-owned land for development and to eliminate housing permitting barriers.
Authority and Vision
According to reporting from CNN Politics, Mamdani’s inauguration represented a broader cultural shift in American cities, with progressive mayors pushing aggressive agendas on housing and social justice. The NPR national news coverage emphasized that Trump had invited the mayor-elect to the White House in November and promised cooperation despite their policy disagreements on immigration and other issues. The new mayor’s stated commitment to transparency and democratic participation sets him apart from predecessors, having campaigned on the promise to involve constituents directly in policymaking through his Office of Mass Engagement. Observers note that successfully implementing his ambitious agenda will require navigating a Republican-controlled federal government, fiscal constraints, and diverse constituencies. His willingness to govern as an openly democratic socialist marks a rare moment in American urban politics where progressive ideology translates directly into municipal leadership.
