New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Takes Office Amid Wall Street Opposition
Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor at a decommissioned subway station beneath City Hall, placing his hand on a Quran alongside his wife, First Lady Rama Duwaji. The inauguration followed months of fierce opposition from Wall Street executives and billionaire donors who spent over $40 million to block his rise. Hedge fund manager Billy Ackman, who contributed $2 million to anti-Zohran efforts, later extended an olive branch on social media, offering assistance to the new administration.
The mayor enters office with a clear mandate to address rising living costs and the influence of big business on the city's economy. His campaign pledged "concrete and substantive actions" within his first 100 days, though the specifics remain undisclosed. Senator Bernie Sanders, a longtime mentor, participated in the daytime inauguration ceremony after Zohran spent part of his first night working in City Hall.
