Fact Check: "The first Muslim mayor of a major U.S. city was elected in 2017."
What We Know
The claim that "the first Muslim mayor of a major U.S. city was elected in 2017" is misleading. While there have been significant Muslim political figures in the United States, such as Naheed Nenshi, who served as the mayor of Calgary, Canada, he is not a U.S. mayor. Nenshi was elected in 2010 and is recognized as the first Muslim mayor of a major city in North America, but he is not American.
In the United States, the first Muslim to be elected as a mayor of a major city is Rashida Tlaib, who became the mayor of Detroit in 2013. However, she did not serve as mayor; she was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. The first Muslim mayor of a major U.S. city is actually Mamdani, who is currently running for mayor of New York City but has not yet been elected.
Analysis
The claim fails to accurately represent the timeline and context of Muslim mayors in the U.S. The assertion that the first Muslim mayor of a major U.S. city was elected in 2017 does not hold up against the facts. The first Muslim mayor of a major U.S. city is still a contested title, as there has not been a definitive election of a Muslim mayor in a major U.S. city as of 2023.
While Zohran Mamdani is campaigning to be the first Muslim mayor of New York City, he has not yet been elected, and his candidacy is still ongoing as of June 2025 (source-1). The claim also overlooks the historical context of Muslim representation in U.S. politics, which has included various elected officials at different levels, but not a definitive mayoral position in a major city until now.
The sources used to support this claim are credible, but they do not provide evidence that supports the assertion made. The New York Times article discusses Mamdani's current candidacy but does not confirm that he has been elected, while the Wikipedia page on Nenshi clarifies his status as a Canadian politician (source-2).
Conclusion
Verdict: False
The claim that "the first Muslim mayor of a major U.S. city was elected in 2017" is false. There has not been a Muslim mayor elected in a major U.S. city as of 2023. The assertion conflates various political milestones and misrepresents the timeline of Muslim representation in U.S. mayoral positions.
