- New York Attorney General to administer Mamdani’s oath.
- Ceremonial dedication Thursday outside New York City Hall.
- Block party organized to allow New Yorkers to view ceremony.
Zohran Mamdani, a young left-wing upstart in the United States, was poised to take over as New York’s mayor on Wednesday at a time when he is sure to cross paths with President Donald Trump.
After the clock strikes midnight, bringing in 2026, Mamdani will take his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop and take the helm of America’s largest city. He will be New York’s first Muslim mayor.
His office says the low-key location for the inauguration reflects his commitment to working people, after the 34-year-old Democrat campaigned on promises to address the rising cost of living.
But it remains to be seen whether Mamdani – largely unknown a year ago – can deliver on his ambitious agenda, which envisages rent freezes, universal childcare and free public buses.
Once an election is over, “symbolism only goes so far with voters. The results start to mean a lot more,” said New York University associate professor John Kane.
What Trump does could be a deciding factor.
The Republican, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, but the pair held surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in November.
Lincoln Mitchell, a political analyst and professor at Columbia University, said the meeting “could not have gone better from Mamdani’s perspective.”
But he warned that their relationship could quickly turn sour.
One flashpoint could be immigration raids as Trump carries out a growing crackdown on migrants across the United States.
Mamdani has pledged to protect immigrant communities.
Before the November vote, the president also threatened to cut federal funding to New York if it elected Mamdani, whom he called a “communist maniac.”
The mayor-elect has said he thinks Trump is a fascist.
Block party
Mamdani’s private swearing-in at midnight to start his four-year term will be performed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who has successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud.
A larger, ceremonial dedication is planned for Thursday, with speeches from leftist allies Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Around 4,000 ticketed guests are expected to attend the event outside the town hall.
Mamdani’s team has also organized a block party, which they say will allow tens of thousands of New Yorkers to watch the ceremony at street viewing areas along Broadway.
The new job comes with a change of address for Mamdani, as he trades his rent-controlled apartment in the borough of Queens for the luxurious mayoral residence in Manhattan.
Some had wondered if he would move to the official mansion given his campaigning on affordability issues. Mamdani said he does so primarily for security reasons.
Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at the age of seven and enjoyed an elite upbringing with only a relatively short stint in politics, becoming a member of the New York State Assembly before being elected mayor.
To compensate for his inexperience, he surrounds himself with experienced aides recruited from former mayors’ offices and former US President Joe Biden’s administration.
Mamdani has also opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a massive exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Property managers have denied these claims.
As a defender of Palestinian rights, he will have to reassure the Jewish community of his inclusive leadership.
Recently, one of his employees resigned after it was revealed that she had sent anti-Semitic tweets years ago.
