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New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani has officially moved into the historic Gracie Mansion, and is already hoping to make changes. The mayor spoke to reporters on January 12 and shared his “ambitious hope” to install a few toilets at the mayor’s residence.
“The only thing we will change is that we will install a few more toilets in Gracie Mansion,” Mamdani said. “This is an ambitious hope. We will see if we can achieve it.”
A prominent New York City Democrat mocked the mayor’s idea, calling it a rich man’s fantasy coming from someone who preaches socialism.
“He was mayor for a minute, and now the socialist thinks he has so much money he can buy toilets,” the prominent Democrat, who requested to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital.
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New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani, right, and his wife, Rama Dawaji, wave to members of the media after a news conference at Gracie Mansion, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)
While speaking with Fox News Digital, the prominent Democrat pointed out the difference between the reaction to Mamdani’s “ambitious hope” of adding a bidet versus 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 to celebrate the renovation, which included “highly polished marble statues.” While the president said the renovation was in keeping with the original vision for the place, historians disagreed and comedians mocked him. John Oliver, host of “Last Week Tonight,” called him “tone deaf.”
The president’s renovations to the East Wing Auditorium also drew criticism and ridicule as Democrats targeted the president over the project. Trump “found time to tear down the East Wing of the White House so he could build a ballroom where he could be celebrated like he was king,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said during an appearance on MSNBC.
President Donald Trump announced new renovations to the Lincoln Bath with a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. (@realDonaldTrump via Truth Social)
The East Wing renovation was mocked on “Saturday Night Live,” which featured a skit featuring James Austin Johnson as Trump, Miles Teller as Drew, and Jonathan Scott from HGTV’s popular home renovation show “The Property Brothers.” The mockery did not end there. During the “Weekend Update” segment, Michael Che said he was glad the floor looked “slippery,” according to the British newspaper “Daily Mail.” Architect newspaper.
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the Gracie Mansion Conservancy The website notes that the residence was originally built by Archibald Gracie, a wealthy merchant, in 1799 and was originally a country house located five miles north of what was then New York City. Since then, the city has expanded and the mansion is currently located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, which is known as one of the most affluent areas of the city.
The conservancy also reported that the Gracie Mansion is one of the oldest surviving wooden structures in Manhattan, and has served as the official residence of the mayor of New York City since 1942.
“Parks Commissioner Robert Moses convinced city authorities to designate the Gracie Mansion as the mayor’s official residence in 1942 when Fiorello H. LaGuardia and his family moved into the house,” the county’s website says.
New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani during a press conference at Gracie Mansion in New York on Monday, January 12, (John Lambarski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
HomeAdvisor, a home improvement cost and contracting market company owned by Angi, said in 2025 that the average cost of installing a bidet was $640, with a typical range of $400 to $1,500. The site noted that costs can be as low as $40 or as high as $2,000. The type, size, and quality of the bidet, as well as necessary plumbing modifications, can affect the cost of installation.
Meanwhile, HomeGuide, a home improvement cost guide that compiles pricing data from contractors and project estimates, broke down bidet prices by unit and installation. A stand-alone bidet can cost between $700 and $2,600 including installation, while the unit and installation cost of a bidet attachment typically ranges from $100 to $300, the site said.
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It’s not clear how exactly the city will install the toilets at Gracie Mansion.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection celebrated Mamdani’s announcement, saying that “more toilets = fewer wet wipes.”