New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani fulfilled an “aspirational hope” of his since taking office: Adding bidets.
When Mamdani moved into Gracie Mansion in January, he was asked if there was anything about the residence he planned to change.
“One thing we will change is we will be installing a few bidets,” Mamdani said in January.
During a Wednesday press conference, more than eight months after being in office, Mamdani confirmed that the wish had been fulfilled. A reporter followed up, asking if he ever ended up adding the bidets in the mansion.
“Yes, they are all there,” Mamdani said, chuckling. “Highly recommend. It’s like $20.”
While bidets aren’t standard in the United States, they are common in other parts of the world, particularly in southern European countries like Italy. They can either be separate installations, located next to the toilet, or installed directly into the toilet with a handheld option.
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The mayor is legally allowed to update his private living quarters and add non-structural fixtures; however, structural or historic alterations require city review, as the building is owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and preserved with the Gracie Mansion Conservancy.
The building was designated a New York City Landmark in 1966.