New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing scrutiny for signing just one bill into law in his 10 months in office, as insiders say he is more interested in social media fame.
asserted
he → face → fame
The socialist mayor, 35, has taken a hands-off approach to legislating in office and has refused to sign many bills that have passed his desk, while watching his online following surge by millions at the same time.
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following → take → time
The only law Mamdani signed this year allowed year-round outdoor dining on city sidewalks.
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Mamdani → sign → sidewalks
Insiders at City Hall told the New York Post that the mayor's team are far more focused on crafting Mamdani's image than they are in lawmaking.
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they → tell → lawmaking
'The mayor and his team are obsessed with becoming a content farm, often delaying or can-kicking boring governmental meetings so the mayor and his staff can hold pitch sessions for social media videos,' the source said.
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source → obsess → videos
'The mayor gets pitched comedy sketches more than Lorne Michaels,' the source added.
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source → pitch → Michaels
Mamdani's number of bill signings lags well behind his predecessors, with Eric Adams having signed 30 laws at the same point in his tenure, Mike Bloomberg had signed 28, and Bill de Blasio had signed 47.
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Blasio → lag → 47
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing scrutiny for signing just one bill into law in his 10 months in office, as insiders say he is more interested in social media fame
Mamdani's focus on social media fame while failing to put his signature on key legislation has appeared to burn bridges at City Hall, with one former staffer telling the Post it is 'easier to govern by TikTok than to actually perform the duties of the job.
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it → face → job
In his 10 months in the mayor's office, Mamdani has opted for a strategy known as 'returned unsigned' to distance himself from many of the bills that are approved by the New York City Council.
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that → opt → Council
The process automatically ratifies a bill if the City Council has passed it and it is not vetoed within four weeks.
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it → ratify → weeks
While the 'returned unsigned' process has typically been used by mayors to protest bills they disagree with, or to avoid being seen signing legislation even if they cannot beat it with a veto.
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they → return → veto
While the strategy allows Mamdani to keep distance from the New York City Council and its active legislature, critics have accused the mayor of failing to use the power of his office.
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critics → allow → office
At the same time, Mamdani has seen his social media following surge, as his team consistently pumps out carefully crafted videos to bolster his image.
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team → see → image
When Mamdani launched his mayoral campaign in early 2025, he had fewer than 60,000 Instagram followers.
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he → launch → followers
By the time he won the election in November 2025, he had seven million followers on the platform.
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he → win → platform
In the 10 months since taking office, Mamdani's following has surged to well over 12 million, marking an unprecedented surge for a US politician's online presence.
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following → take → presence
Mamdani has shared a slew of carefully crafted, social media savvy clips, including a video vowing to 'tax the rich' filmed outside the Manhattan apartment of hedge fund manager Ken Griffin in April (above)
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Mamdani → share → April
Mamdani has been criticized by some for his headline-grabbing antics.
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Mamdani → criticize → antics
Pictured: The mayor jumping in a swimming pool at the official opening of NYC public swimming pools in June 2026
Mamdani racked up many millions of views with his clips this year, including a video filmed outside the $200 million apartment of billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin in April, vowing to his followers he would 'tax the rich.'
In July, Mamdani captured headlines again with another video where he branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a 'war criminal' and told his followers he wanted to arrest him, but did not have the authority.
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he → picture → authority
At the same time, a number of bills sat unsigned on Mamdani's desk, including one requiring wellness checks on elderly New Yorkers during high temperatures, reports the New York Post.
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Post → sit → temperatures
Other bills that fit into Mamdani's socialist agenda also sat unsigned, including a rent-assistance program and expanding free childcare programs, while the mayor shared social media clips over the summer.
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mayor → fit → summer
Insiders at City Hall say the dynamic has not gone unnoticed, with former City Council member Diana Ayala saying she found Mamdani's approach 'weird.
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approach → say → Hall
'It gives the impression that enough attention is being paid or they disagree, but they don’t.
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they → give → impression
I haven’t seen anything he’s disagreed,' she told the Post.
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she → see → Post
'It would be nice to elevate their initiatives...
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It → elevate → initiatives
It shows goodwill and that they are in alignment on specific issues.'
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they → show → issues
The Daily Mail has contacted Mamdani's office for comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
Mamdani seen at a vigil for the victims of the October 7 terrorist attacks
Despite Mamdani's social media savvy, the mayor has faced a tough few weeks after inviting criticism from his far-left base.
The avowed socialist saw his progressive and pro-Palestinian base turn on him, including being branded a 'traitor' by pro-Palestine protesters as he held a candle at a Union Square vigil marking the third anniversary of Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
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he → see → Israel
One day later, Mamdani was confronted by protesters as he spoke about ICE's shooting of 28-year-old Oscar Bergal, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, in the Marble Hill neighborhood of northern Manhattan.
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he → confront → Manhattan
'Mamdani is complicit,' the protesters chanted, making it difficult to hear him.
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it → chant → him
The mayor then called for ICE to be abolished during his remarks, but supporters continued berating him for his repeated, cushy meetings with President Donald Trump, most recently at Gracie Mansion in September.
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supporters → call → September
The Aporia
