Constitutional Barrier: Why New York's Historic Mayor Zohran Mamdani Is Ineligible for US Presidency

Zohran Mamdani, who has successfully secured victory in New York City's mayoral elections, cannot qualify for a presidential run due to constitutional restrictions. At just 34 years of age, Mamdani represents several historic firsts for the city - he's the youngest mayor since 1892, the first Muslim to hold this position, and the first New York City mayor born on African soil.

While Mamdani's ascension to City Hall marks a significant achievement, the US Constitution explicitly prevents him from ever pursuing the presidency. Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 clearly stipulates that only "natural born Citizens" are eligible for the presidency, alongside meeting age and residency requirements.

Presidential eligibility in the United States requires candidates to be natural-born citizens (either born within US territory or abroad to American citizen parents), to have reached at least 35 years of age, and to have resided within the United States for a minimum of 14 years.

Mamdani fails to meet the natural-born citizenship criterion as he was born in Kampala, Uganda, only becoming a naturalized American citizen in 2018. His parentage includes his father Mahmood Mamdani, a distinguished Ugandan academic of Indian heritage who teaches at Columbia University, and his mother Mira Nair, the celebrated Indian-American filmmaker known for acclaimed works including "Monsoon Wedding" and "The Namesake."

Constitutional amendment would be the only pathway that could potentially make Mamdani eligible for a presidential run in the future.

His mayoral victory is particularly remarkable considering he entered the race with limited name recognition, modest financial backing, and minimal support from established political institutions. Despite these challenges, he successfully defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in Tuesday's election.

During his acceptance speech, Mamdani proudly acknowledged his immigrant background, stating: "New York will remain the city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, clearly led by an immigrant."

He further emphasized his identity and principles by adding, "I am young, I am Muslim, I am a democratic socialist and most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this. I will wake each morning with a singular purpose, to make this city better for you than it was the day before."