- New York Attorney General will swear in Mamdani.
- Opening ceremony Thursday in front of New York City Hall.
- Block party organized to allow New Yorkers to observe the ceremony.
Zohran Mamdani, a young upstart on the American left, was preparing Wednesday to take over as mayor of New York for a term that will surely see him take on President Donald Trump.
After the clocks strike midnight, ushering in the year 2026, Mamdani will take the oath of office at an abandoned subway stop, taking command of America’s largest city. He will be the first Muslim mayor of New York.
His office says the low-key swearing-in location reflects his commitment to workers, after the 34-year-old Democrat campaigned on promises to address the rising cost of living.
But it remains to be seen whether Mamdani – virtually unknown a year ago – can deliver on his ambitious agenda, which calls for rent freezes, universal childcare and free public buses.
Once an election is over, “symbolism only goes so far with voters. The results start to matter a lot more,” said John Kane, a professor at New York University.
What Trump does could be a deciding factor.
The Republican, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, but the two had surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in November.
Lincoln Mitchell, a political analyst and professor at Columbia University, said the meeting “couldn’t have gone better from Mamdani’s perspective.”
But he warned their relationship could deteriorate quickly.
A flashpoint could be immigration raids as Trump implements a growing crackdown on immigrants across the United States.
Mamdani has promised to protect immigrant communities.
Before the November vote, the president also threatened to cut federal funding to New York if he elected Mamdani, whom he called a “communist lunatic.”
The mayor-elect has said he believes Trump is a fascist.
neighborhood party
Mamdani’s private midnight swearing-in to begin his four-year term will be conducted by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud.
A larger ceremonial inauguration 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 in front of City Hall.
Mamdani’s team has also organized a block party that it says will allow tens of thousands of New Yorkers to watch the ceremony in viewing areas on the streets of Broadway.
The new job marks a change of direction for Mamdani, who swaps his rent-controlled apartment in Queens for the mayor’s luxurious residence in Manhattan.
Some had wondered whether he would move into the official mansion given his campaigning on affordability issues. Mamdani said he does it mainly for security reasons.
Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at age seven and enjoyed an elite education with only a relatively brief stint in politics, becoming a member of the New York State Assembly before being elected mayor.
To compensate for his inexperience, he is surrounding himself with experienced aides recruited in previous mayoralties and in the administration of former US President Joe Biden.
Mamdani has also opened a dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a mass exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Real estate leaders have debunked those claims.
As an advocate for Palestinian rights, he will have to reassure the Jewish community about his inclusive leadership.
Recently, one of his hires resigned after it was revealed that she had posted anti-Semitic tweets years ago.
