In a dimly lit, abandoned subway tunnel beneath City Hall—reminiscent of a rat’s shadowy underground burrow—Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City’s mayor just after midnight on January 1, 2026. The private ceremony took place in the ornate but long-shuttered old City Hall station, a beaux-arts relic closed since 1945, where Mamdani stood amid vaulted ceilings and tiled arches, surrounded only by his wife, family, and a handful of allies. Emphasizing his commitment to public transit, the new mayor took the oath on the Quran, marking a historic moment as the city’s first Muslim and South Asian leader.

Administering the oath was New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose commanding presence and no-nonsense delivery evoked the tough, authoritative tone of a seasoned mob boss settling a score—“Congratulations, Mr. Mayor,” she intoned with finality amid cheers. James, a prominent Democrat known for high-profile prosecutions and political battles, including against former President Trump, brought a gritty edge to the subterranean ritual, underscoring the raw power dynamics of New York politics.

The underground setting and midnight timing fueled whispers of secrecy, but Mamdani framed it as a tribute to the working people who “keep our city running.” A larger public inauguration followed later that day outside City Hall, with Senator Bernie Sanders administering a ceremonial oath amid celebrations, confetti, and progressive fanfare, launching Mamdani’s ambitious agenda for affordability and change in the nation’s largest city.