Sen. Bernie Sanders is expected to administer the oath to Zohran Mamdani when the 34‑year‑old is sworn in as New York City’s mayor on Jan. 1. Mamdani, a democratic socialist backed by Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez, won the general election with more than 50% of the vote over Andrew Cuomo. After the election, Mamdani met with President Trump in a surprise Oval Office meeting the two described as cooperative. Mamdani emphasized focusing on shared goals to help New Yorkers facing a cost‑of‑living crisis.
Bernie Sanders To Swear In Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani As New York City Mayor On Jan. 1
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I‑Vt.) is expected to administer the oath of office to Zohran Mamdani when the 34‑year‑old is sworn in as New York City’s mayor on Jan. 1, according to reports. A person familiar with the plan told The Hill that Mamdani chose Sanders — an ideologically aligned figure who endorsed and campaigned for him during the mayoral race.
Endorsements And Political Alignment
Although Sanders is a registered Independent, he identifies as a democratic socialist. Rep. Alexandra Ocasio‑Cortez (D‑N.Y.) — another prominent democratic socialist — also supported Mamdani’s campaign. When Sanders endorsed Mamdani in June, he described the campaign as “inspirational” and called Mamdani a “visionary” leader; Mamdani has called Sanders “the single most influential political figure in my life.”
Election Victory
Mamdani defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) in last month’s general election, winning more than 50% of the vote. In his victory speech, Mamdani took aim at President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly labeled him a “communist lunatic” and threatened to withhold federal funds from New York City if Mamdani prevailed.
“We will hold bad landlords to account because the Donald Trumps of our city have grown far too comfortable taking advantage of their tenants,” Mamdani said. “We will put an end to the culture of corruption that has allowed billionaires like Trump to evade taxation and exploit tax breaks. We will stand alongside unions and expand labor protections because we know, just as Donald Trump does, that when working people have ironclad rights, the bosses who seek to extort them become very small indeed.”
Post‑Election Meeting With Trump
Despite the sharp rhetoric during the campaign, President Trump invited Mamdani to the Oval Office after the election in a meeting some observers described as a surprising “lovefest.” According to coverage, the two leaders emphasized cooperation on initiatives to help New Yorkers.
Mamdani told reporters he appreciated that the meeting “focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers. And frankly, that is something that could transform the lives of the 8.5 million people who are currently struggling under a cost of living crisis with one in four living in poverty.”
This report first appeared on Mediaite; The Hill cited a person familiar with the plan for Sanders swearing in Mamdani.
