Zohran Mamdani was officially sworn in as the mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026. Senator Bernie Sanders swore him in as the 112th Mayor of New York amid crowds of people. Although his swearing in was a moment of joy for Mamdani, not many MAGA supporters appeared thrilled. Within hours of the ceremony, Mamdani had already faced backlash from critics online.
Mamdani is New York’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor. He has faced criticism over his religion and ethnicity. MAGA supporter Laura Loomer slammed Mamdani on X during his ceremony, calling the Democratic Party’s “squad takeover complete.”
AOC’s mentor Bernie Sanders swears in Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor. The Squad’s takeover of the Democrat Party is now complete. pic.twitter.com/xpaXi2I8F7
— Loomer Unleashed (@LoomerUnleashed) January 1, 2026
In a separate post on X, she also accused Mamdani and his family of being loyal only to Islam. She wrote, “We have a man who hates America, leading the largest city in America…” About Mamdani’s parents, Laura added, “We have a mayor of NYC whose parents raised him to hate America and the West.”
Loomer didn’t just stop there; she also called cultural representations like the song performance “foreign,” in another post on X. Loomer is known for her unwavering support for President Donald Trump and his administration. She also quoted Mamdani’s speech in which he deemed himself a “Democratic socialist,” and claimed he would rule as one.
Speaking at his inauguration today, @ZohranKMamdani said, “I was elected as a Democratic Socialist, and I will govern as a Democratic Socialist!”
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) January 1, 2026
Political activist and pop culture commentator April Silverman also shared her thoughts on the matter. Calling Mamdani a “Communist,” she zeroed in on his wife, Rama Duwaji. Silverman slammed Duwaji for reportedly wearing Balenciaga while people were “freezing.”
Similarly, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis shared her disagreement with Mamdani’s policies. She wrote, “Mamdani’s policies will only make our city less safe and affordable.” She further promised to do everything in her power to stop his “radical and reckless agenda.”
It wasn’t just influencers and advocates of MAGA who shared their negative reactions online. Critics also reacted to Mamdani’s election as Mayor on social media, worried about living in New York. One user dejectedly wrote, “We are living through a horror movie!! How will it end?” A second one wrote, “Yikes. Bye Bye NY!” A third person mentioned, “NYC is doomed…” A fourth one quipped, “Escape from New York is finally going to come true.”
Thus far, Mamdani has not responded to the criticism he’s received online from both Trump supporters and critics. He continues to remain focused on his goal for New York. Mamdani’s main focus when he was campaigning for mayor of NYC was affordability. That is something he claimed he’d continue to work on for the city.
Whether it’s housing, resources, or health care, Mamdani wants to ensure that “everyone can make it” in New York, quoting Frank Sinatra in his inaugural speech, according to the New York Times. He also shaded critics who’ve called him radical in a separate statement. Mamdani claimed, “I will not abandon my principles for fear of being deemed radical.”
