Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as New York City mayor. He has made history as New York’s first Muslim, first South Asian and first African-born mayor, and, at the age of 34, the city’s youngest mayor in generations. At midnight on January 1, New York Attorney General Letitia James swore in Mamdani in a small private ceremony in a decommissioned subway station below City Hall. Mamdani took the oath placing his hand on two Qur’ans held by his wife, the Syrian American artist Rama Duwaji. On Thursday afternoon, Senator Bernie Sanders swore in Mamdani again in a large public ceremony outside City Hall in below-freezing temperatures. During his inaugural address, Mamdani repeated his campaign vow to make the city more affordable.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “We will answer to all New Yorkers, not to any billionaire or oligarch who thinks they can buy our democracy. We will govern without shame and insecurity, making no apology for what we believe. I was elected as a democratic socialist, and I will govern as a democratic socialist.”

After the inauguration, Mamdani traveled to a Brooklyn housing complex, where he signed three executive orders designed to tackle the city’s housing crisis.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “In doing so, we will protect tenants, already long neglected, from further neglect, and we will mitigate the significant risk of displacement they currently face. For too long, bad landlords have been allowed to mistreat their tenants with impunity. That ends today.”

Mamdani also revoked all executive orders signed by former Mayor Eric Adams that were issued after Adams was indicted on federal bribery charges on September 26, 2024. We will air more highlights from Mamdani’s inauguration after headlines.