In a Closed Subway Under City Hall, Zohran Mamdani Takes Oath as New York City Mayor

The 34-year-old Democrat made history taking his midnight oath on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first time an NYC mayor used Islam’s holy text to be sworn in.

The Wire Staff

The 34-year-old Democrat made history taking his midnight oath on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first time an NYC mayor used Islam’s holy text to be sworn in.

in a closed subway under city hall zohran mamdani takes oath as new york city mayor

New York Attorney General Letitia James, left, administers the oath of office to mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, center, as his wife Rama Duwaji looks on, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New York. Photo: AP/PTI

New Delhi: Standing in a long-closed subway station beneath City Hall, Zohran Mamdani on Thursday, January 1, was sworn in as the New York City mayor, becoming the first first Muslim, first South Asian and first African-born person to hold that position.

The 34-year-old Democrat took the midnight oath on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first time an NYC mayor used Islam’s holy text to be sworn in. Most of his predecessors were sworn in on a Bible. The oath for the mayor's office, although, does not require the use of any religious text.

The oath was administered by New York state Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat and a close ally of Mamdani. Standing alongside him was also his wife, Rama Duwaji, the new First Lady of the city.

Speaking to the crowd during his oath, he flashed his trademark grin and said, "Thank you so much to everyone for being here, Happy New Year to New Yorkers."

"This is truly the honor and privilege of a lifetime," he said.

Mamdani saw a monumental rise over last year with his quirky social media campaign, focused heavily on the issue of affordability, that took him from the backbenches as New York state lawmaker to becoming the mayor of the largest city in the US.

Thorughout his campaign, however, he also remained outspoken about his Muslim faith and appeared frequently across five boroughs, building a support base among many South Asian and Muslim voters.

This article went live on January first, two thousand twenty six, at eight minutes past nine at night.

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