NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to install bidets at Gracie Mansion

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has officially moved into the historic Gracie Mansion and he’s already hoping to make changes there. The mayor spoke to reporters on January 12 and shared his “ambitious hope” to have a few bidets installed in the mayor’s residence.

“One thing we’re going to change is we’ll put a few bidets in Gracie Mansion,” Mamdani said. “It’s an ambitious hope. We’ll see if we can achieve it.”

A prominent New York City Democrat mocked the mayor’s idea, describing it as a rich man’s fantasy coming from someone who preaches socialism.

“He’s been mayor for a minute and now the socialist thinks he has so much money he can buy bidets,” the prominent Democrat, who asked to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital.

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New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, right, and his wife, Rama Duwaji, greet members of the media after a press conference at Gracie Mansion, January 12, 2026, in New York. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)

Speaking to Fox News Digital, the prominent Democrat highlighted the difference between the reaction to Mamdani’s “ambitious hope” of adding bidets and President Donald Trump’s renovations to the White House’s Lincoln Bedroom bathroom.

Trump posted photos of the renovated bathroom on Truth Social in November, celebrating an upgrade that included “highly polished statuary marble.” While the president claimed the renovation was consistent with the original vision for the space, historians disagreed and comedians mocked him. “Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver called him “tone deaf.”

The president’s renovations to the East Wing ballroom also drew criticism and mockery, with Democrats targeting the president over the project. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said during an appearance on MSNBC that Trump “found time to tear down the East Wing of the White House so he can build a ballroom where he can be celebrated like he’s a king.”

President Donald Trump announced new renovations to the Lincoln bathroom via a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)

The East Wing renovation was mocked on “Saturday Night Live,” which did a sketch featuring James Austin Johnson as Trump and Miles Teller as Drew and Jonathan Scott from HGTV’s popular home renovation show “The Property Brothers.” The mockery doesn’t stop there. During a “Weekend Update” segment, Michael Che said he was glad the floor looked “slippery,” according to Architect’s Journal.

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The Gracie Mansion Conservancy website states that the residence was originally built by Archibald Gracie, a successful merchant, in 1799 and was originally a country home located five miles north of what was then known as New York. Since then, the city has grown and the mansion is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, known for being one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city.

The conservatory also said that Gracie Mansion is one of the oldest wooden structures in Manhattan and has served as the official residence of New York City mayors since 1942.

“Parks Commissioner Robert Moses convinced city officials to designate the Gracie Mansion as the mayor’s official residence in 1942, when Fiorello H. La Guardia and his family moved into the house,” the conservancy’s website states.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a press conference at the Gracie Mansion in New York on January 12, 2026. (John Lamparski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

HomeAdvisor, a home improvement and contractor marketplace owned by Angi, said in 2025 the average cost to install a bidet was $640, with a typical range of $400 to $1,500. The site says costs can range from $40 to $2,000. The type, size and quality of the bidet, as well as any plumbing modifications required can impact the installation cost.

Meanwhile, HomeGuide, a home improvement cost guide that compiles contractor pricing data and project estimates, has broken down bidet prices by unit and installation. The site says a standalone bidet could cost between $700 and $2,600, including installation, while the unit and installation cost of a bidet attachment typically ranges from $100 to $300.

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It’s unclear exactly how the city would install bidets in Gracie Mansion.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection celebrated Mamdani’s announcement, saying “more bidets = fewer wet wipes.”