Mamdani's Quran Oath: NYC's First Muslim Mayor Takes Office

The left's bold experiment begins amid historic firsts and heated controversy.

Zohran Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor and an avowed democratic socialist whose radical progressive agenda sparked fierce debates over faith, ideology and public safety, took the oath of office just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2026.

Mamdani, 34, placed his hand on two Qurans—one his grandfather's and another historic copy—during a private ceremony in the decommissioned Old City Hall subway station.

New York Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath as his wife, Rama Duwaji, stood beside him.

The Democratic Socialist later held a public swearing-in on City Hall steps, with Sen. Bernie Sanders presiding, followed by a massive block party drawing tens of thousands.

Mamdani's rise as the city's youngest mayor in generations ignited controversy, with critics decrying his far-left views and Muslim faith, while supporters hailed a milestone for diversity and progressive change.

Yet claims of a mass exodus—viral tales of NYPD officers dumping uniforms in the streets and saluting goodbye to law enforcement under incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani—proved unfounded.

Yes, some NYPD officers have indeed called it quits, but the narrative of a "mass exodus" is more fiction than fact, a tale spun from isolated incidents and amplified into a doomsday scenario.

Data reveals a modest uptick in resignations—245 officers in October 2025 compared to 181 the previous year, a 35 percent increase.

This isn't the wholesale abandonment painted by fearmongers—it's a bump, not a bust, driven by the same old grievances of workload, morale, and pay that have plagued the force for years, not a direct response to Mamdani.

Department staffing held steady around 33,745 uniformed officers as his term began, with no verified sudden spikes on inauguration day.

Some individual retirements and expressed worries continue amid policy debates, but coordinated walkouts never materialized.

The radical left's fever dreams of a cop-free utopia crash into reality yet again.

The boys in blue aren't bolting. They're buckling down, and the city will need them more than ever under this bold new era of progressive governance.