Letitia James fumbles Zohran Mamdani’s name during NYC mayor oath

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James mispronounced newly elected NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s name while swearing him in on Thursday, January 1.

The private midnight ceremony took place at the abandoned Old City Hall subway station, officially transferring power from former Mayor Eric Adams to 34-year-old Mamdani.

Letitia James swears in Zohran Mamdani as NYC mayor

The attorney general Lettita James opened the ceremony by greeting onlookers and saying she was honored “to inaugurate the man who will bring about a new era of progress, promise and prosperity for New York City.”

She then instructed, “Please repeat after me. Raise your right hand,” as she began the oath.

“I, Zohran Kwamee Mandani [sic], do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of New York and the Charter of the City of New York, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of the mayor of the city of New York, according to the best of my ability, so help me God,” Mamdani repeated, clearly saying his name without comment.

Mamdani has promised several new public programs, including free bus rides, city-run grocery stores, free childcare, and a $30 minimum wage.

A Siena poll released on December 16, 2025, showed that his favorability across New York state rose to 46% from 40% in November.

In New York City, 66% of voters said Mamdani’s win is good for the city, while 25% disagreed, up from 57% and 26% in November.

Mamdani won the November 4, 2025, mayoral election with 50.4% of the vote, totaling more than a million ballots, according to NBC News. Former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, running as an independent, received 41.6%, while Republican Curtis Sliwa earned 7.1%.

Zohran Mamdani takes oath with Qurans

Zohran Mamdani became the first Muslim leader of America’s largest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took the oath.

“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” he said. At 34, Mamdani also became New York City’s first South Asian mayor, its first African-born mayor, and one of the youngest leaders in generations.

For the midnight inauguration, Mamdani placed his hand on two Qurans, one that belonged to his grandfather and a pocket-sized manuscript from the late 18th or early 19th century, part of the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

“It’s a small Quran, but it brings together elements of faith and identity in New York City history,” said Hiba Abid, the library’s curator for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. “The importance of this Quran lies not in luxury, but in accessibility.”

She added, "This manuscript was meant to be used by ordinary readers when it was produced. Today it lives in a public library where anyone can encounter it.”

In an emotional speech days before the election, Mamdani said, “I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own. I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.”