New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is still awaiting federal security clearance more than eight months after taking office, limiting his access to classified intelligence concerning terrorism and other potential threats to the city, according to media reports.
Mamdani acknowledged the delay at a news conference but described the length of the vetting process as a “typical timeline” for receiving clearance.
“The process of my getting a federal security clearance is ongoing,” Mamdani told reporters.
He said several senior officials in his administration had already received clearance and that the New York Police Department continued to keep him informed about intelligence matters that did not involve federally classified material.
“The NYPD also regularly briefs me on intelligence investigations that do not involve federally classified information, and we will continue to move forward,” he said.
Mamdani is not the first New York mayor to experience delays or complications involving federal security clearance.
According to the New York Post, former Mayor Bill de Blasio did not initially apply for high-level clearance after taking office in 2014 and ultimately waited slightly more than a year before receiving it.
Former Mayor Eric Adams had his security clearance revoked after he became the first sitting New York City mayor to face a federal criminal indictment in 2024.
Experts cited in media reports said federal security vetting, which involves the FBI, can take up to a year for a newly elected public official.
Mamdani’s pending clearance has attracted attention as New York hosts the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, bringing numerous foreign leaders and dignitaries to the city.
Experts have cautioned that restricted access to federally classified intelligence “could tie the mayor’s hands, potentially delaying an official response during an emergency.”