ABC Celebrates Mamdani's Inauguration & 'Ambitious Progressive Agenda'

On Friday, ABC’s Good Morning America celebrated a new chapter in their hometown politics of New York City: the inauguration of far-left extremist Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The network couldn’t hide their excitement as fill-in anchor and chief White house correspondent Mary Bruce pivoted away from a deadly Swiss night club fire, with a huge smile on her face to talk about the communist mayor. Of course, there was also mention of his controversial comment.

“And now to a new era in New York City. Zoran Mamdani is sworn in as mayor on Thursday,” Bruce beamed, parroting Mamdani’s “new era” slogan. “The 34-year-old is the first Muslim and first person of South Asian descent to lead the nation's largest city.”

While ABC had called President Trump’s plans ‘controversial,’ that wasn’t tone given to Mamdani’s despite widespread concern. “The new mayor's first act involved affordable housing, just part of an ambitious progressive agenda that Mamdani insists will set an example for the world,” touted correspondent Aaron Katersky.

“Mamdani takes up the progressive mantle from two of its champions who were there in the audience: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders,” Katersky went on to tout. “Now, Mamdani is out to show an affordability agenda focusing on the working-class can thrive in America's wealthiest city.”

 

 

Katersky was impressed by how Mamdani was able to charm Trump and took action to undo actions taken by former Mayor Eric Adams:

Mamdani's rise from political obscurity stunned the city and the country. He has already confounded expectations, charming President Trump during a visit to the White House.

(…)

And in his first moments as mayor, Mamdani revoked all of his predecessor’s executive orders signed after September 26, 2024. That was the day former Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on federal corruption charges.

“And a new era begins,” boasted fill-in anchor Will Reeve before ending the segment.

Despite using four soundbites of Mamdani from the event, there was no mention of his controversial comment proclaiming he was going to force communist collectivism down everyone’s throat. “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism,” he said, touting an idea that had killed tens of millions of people in communist countries around the globe for decades.

 

 

Speaking of communism, ABC also failed to mention that Mamdani failed to provide food and restrooms for the “block party” organized to celebrate.

“Scores of Zohran Mamdani fans who braved freezing temperatures to celebrate the new mayor as he was publicly sworn into office Thursday were left disappointed by the bash the socialist pol had promised,” reported the New York Post. “Around 10,000 supporters stood outside City Hall during the event — billed as an ‘Inauguration for a New Era Block Party’ by Mamdani’s staff — crammed into several barricaded pens without access to bathrooms or any food concession stands.”

Its worth nothing that both CBS and NBC also omitted Mamdani’s comment and the black party snafu.

The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:

ABC’s Good Morning America
January 2, 2026
7:08:24 a.m. Eastern

MARY BRUCE: And now to a new era in New York City. Zoran Mamdani is sworn in as mayor on Thursday. The 34-year-old is the first Muslim and first person of South Asian descent to lead the nation's largest city. Aaron Katersky was there at the inauguration and he joins us here now. Hey, Aaron, good morning.

AARON KATERSKY: And good morning to you, Mary. The new mayor's first act involved affordable housing, just part of an ambitious progressive agenda that Mamdani insists will set an example for the world.

[Cuts to video]

This morning, the new mayor of New York is on the job.

MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D-NY): I Zohran Kwame Mamdani.

KATERSKY: 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani publically sworn in as the first Muslim mayor, its youngest in a century, and first democratic socialist.

MAMDANI: To those who insist the era of big government is over, hear me when I say this: no longer will City Hall hesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkers’ lives.

KATERSKY: Mamdani takes up the progressive mantle from two of its champions who were there in the audience: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): New York, thank you for inspiring our nation!

KATERSKY: Now, Mamdani is out to show an affordability agenda focusing on the working-class can thrive in America's wealthiest city.

MAMDANI: There are many who will be watching. They want to know if the left can govern.

KATERSKY: Mamdani's rise from political obscurity stunned the city and the country. He has already confounded expectations, charming President Trump during a visit to the White House.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: I feel very confident that he can do a very good job. I think he's gonna be -- I think he's gonna surprise some conservative people actually, and some very liberal people, he won't surprise them because they already like him.

KATERSKY: Trump, and plenty of others have been spectacle, even hostile, about the ascension of an untested novice, but Mamdani promised thousands of shivering supporters he would win them over with new ideas.

MAMDANI: We will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone else. We will set an example for the world.

[Cuts back to live]

KATERSKY: And in his first moments as mayor, Mamdani revoked all of his predecessor’s executive orders signed after September 26, 2024. That was the day former Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on federal corruption charges. Those were later dropped as part of a deal with the Trump administration. But Will, Mamdani called it a moment when many New Yorkers decided that politics did not work for them. He’s trying to change that.

WILL REEVE: And a new era begins. Aaron Katersky, thank you very much.