2 min readNew DelhiJun 28, 2026 01:21 PM IST
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani kicked off the city’s outdoor swimming pool season on Saturday by diving into a public pool fully dressed in a suit, reviving a long-standing mayoral tradition and delighting children attending the event.
Wearing a coat, tie, dress shirt and even black socks, Mamdani jumped into the Thomas Jefferson Pool in East Harlem alongside dozens of children to officially mark the opening of the city’s outdoor pools, the New York Post reported.
The reopening means outdoor public pools across all five boroughs are now open for the summer and will remain accessible to residents through September 13.
Zohran Mamdani jumps into pool, sparks debate
While the mayor’s fully clothed plunge grabbed headlines, it also technically broke New York City Parks Department rules, which require swimmers to wear proper bathing suits in public pools. Male swimmers are generally expected to wear swim trunks with mesh lining or Speedos to help maintain water quality and the pools’ chemical balance, the report added.
Reacting to the criticism, Mamdani wrote, “When they said, “wear a suit,” I just assumed….”
Watch the video here:
When they said, “wear a suit,” I just assumed…
Find a public pool near you at https://t.co/V0Tzb9IlHO. https://t.co/TL5XIB4jBw pic.twitter.com/4wHWNB54fx
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) June 27, 2026
The video has since gone viral, amassing over two million views and sparked a debate. “When the instructions are taken a little too literally sometimes the best outfits are the unexpected ones. That’s a whole different kind of suit,” a user wrote. “I hate that I have a fave mayor…its sounds insane to say out loud,” another user commented.
“This is funny because you thought they meant to wear a business suit because you are an important politician, but when you realized you were mistaken, you jumped into the pool anyway! You are so relatable,” a third user reacted.
