Zohran Mamdani has been elected as mayor of New York City — the city’s first Muslim mayor and the youngest person in over a century to lead.
The charismatic 34-year-old has accrued mass popularity on social media, with New Yorkers hopeful that the socialist politician will bring about real change to a city that has become unaffordable for many. His plans include a rent freeze, city-owned grocery stores and free public buses.
Following his win, Mr Mamdani shared a message for President Donald Trump: “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant. So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
Zohran Mamdani for president. pic.twitter.com/73aQSYsH2Z
— EM (@EXECUTIVEXMEDIA) October 29, 2025
Mr Mamdani’s inspiring manifesto has left some calling for the new mayor to become the next US president. But fans will be disappointed to learn that this won’t be happening, unless the US Constitution is rewritten.
Why can't Zohran Mamdani be President of the US?
Mr Mamdani can’t be President of the US because the US Constitution prohibits non-American-born citizens from becoming president.
Article II, Section 1 reads: “No person except a natural-born Citizen... shall be eligible to the Office of President.”
Mr Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda to Indian-Ugandan parents and was naturalised in the US in 2018, so he’s not a “natural-born” American.
According to US law, “natural-born” means citizenship at birth, either being born in America or having American parents abroad.
Even if someone lives in the US for decades, they cannot obtain “natural-born” status, so Mr Mamdani is disqualified from becoming president.
It’s this law that stops other influential individuals, such as Elon Musk, from becoming President of the US.
Why can Boris Johnson be President of the US?
In contrast, Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the UK, could run for president.
This is because Mr Johnson was born in New York City. While his family moved to London when he was five years old, he is classified as a “natural-born” US citizen. Unlike Mr Mamdani, he can run for President.
