Zohran Mamdani is ushering in a new era in New York City.
Mamdani was sworn in on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, just after midnight in a private ceremony at an abandoned subway station in Manhattan. Joined by his wife, Rama Duwaji, marking a break from tradition with the ceremony’s location.
Later that day, Mamdani will have a public ceremony at City Hall Plaza. He will be introduced by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez’s presence underscores the leaders central to the movement to usher in a new era for New York City. One focused on delivering an affordability agenda,” a statement from Mamdani’s team read.
“And reimagining what government can do for working people.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, also a democratic socialist, will also attend the public ceremony.
Sanders spoke to Fox News Digital about his particiaption in the ceremony.
”His inauguration will represent the blending of our city on a subway filled with cacophony, diversity, challenge, and opportunity. The subway is a lifeblood of our city, and a great equalizer for New Yorkers,” Sanders said. It connects and binds New Yorkers in our daily lives. For all of our strengths and weaknesses as individuals, we ride together on the train to places far and wide.”
According to the New York Times, the inauguration ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern on Thursday. The event will be accompanied by an “inauguration block party.” The party seven blocks of lower Broadway, between Murray and Liberty Streets. The event is expected to draw 40,000 people.
Mamdani defeated Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in the mayoral election on Nov. 4. Incorrectly labeled as a “communist,” Mamdani is a proud democratic socialist, like Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders.
Mamdani said his inauguration speech will “respond to oligarchy.” And “authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves.”
We will put an end to the culture of corruption that has allowed billionaires like Trump to evade taxation and exploit tax breaks,” he said. “New York will remain a city of immigrants: a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants and, as of tonight, led by an immigrant.”