After 9-Month Delay, Trump Admin Gives Mayor Mamdani Security Clearance
Photo: New York City News Service
India-West News Desk
NEW YORK, NY – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has received his federal security clearance after nearly nine months. He can now take part in classified briefings on security threats and other emergencies affecting the city.
Mamdani confirmed this September 30 at a news conference in Brooklyn.
Mamdani applied for the clearance shortly after taking office in January. Until then, he could not take part in certain federal security briefings, while senior members of his administration, including Chief Counsel Ramzi Kassem, could attend because they already had clearances. It also meant that Mamdani would learn of the briefings through third parties.
The Department of Homeland Security, which processed the clearance, did not comment on the reason for the delay and referred questions about the background check to the FBI.
Gothamist reported earlier this month that Mamdani was still waiting for clearance eight months into his term.
The wait came as federal agencies were also taking longer to process security clearances. Government Accountability Office data showed that agencies took an average of 206 days to authorize 90 per cent of security clearances during the second half of fiscal 2025, compared with the government’s target of 114 days.
The clearance process also came under scrutiny during the Trump administration. Last year, the administration revoked clearances for dozens of current and former government officials involved in investigations that President Donald Trump has called “witch hunts,” including the FBI investigation into his 2016 campaign’s ties to Russia.
Mamdani and Trump were sharply critical of each other as recently as last year, with Mamdani referring to Trump as a “despot” and a “fascist.” Their relationship has since become more cordial.
The clearance came days after Mamdani met with Trump. There is no indication that the meeting played a role in the approval.
