New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has received his federal security clearance after roughly nine months in office, ending a lengthy wait that had prevented him from directly participating in certain classified federal security briefings.

Mamdani confirmed Wednesday that he now has the clearance, telling reporters during an unrelated press conference in Brooklyn, “I have my security clearance now.” The approval gives the mayor access to classified federal briefings concerning security threats and emergencies facing New York City, including briefings conducted by the FBI.

Mamdani reportedly applied for the clearance shortly after taking office in January. Until the approval, senior members of his administration who already held clearances could attend certain federal briefings, while the mayor himself could not.

The length of the process drew attention earlier this month after reports noted that Mamdani remained without a clearance nearly nine months into his administration. At the time, Mamdani said the process was moving within the typical timeline and noted that the NYPD continued to brief him on intelligence and investigations that did not involve federally classified information.

The delay also came amid broader problems with the federal security-clearance system. Government Accountability Office data show agencies took an average of 206 days to complete the fastest 90% of initial Top Secret clearances during the second quarter of fiscal 2025, 92 days longer than the government’s 114-day goal. The GAO has identified the federal personnel security clearance system as a high-risk area because of persistent delays and other problems.

The Department of Homeland Security previously declined to explain what caused the delay in Mamdani’s case, referring questions to the FBI, which conducts background investigations for federal security clearances. The FBI did not immediately provide an explanation for the timing of Mamdani’s approval.

The clearance was granted shortly after Mamdani met with President Donald Trump at Gracie Mansion on Sept. 21. There has been no indication that the meeting was connected to the clearance decision, and the approval comes as the relationship between the two political figures has become more cordial following months of public disagreements.

Mamdani had previously described Trump in highly critical terms, while Trump and Mamdani clashed publicly over a range of political issues. Their subsequent meetings at the White House and Gracie Mansion have marked a notable change in their public interactions.

With the clearance now granted, Mamdani will be able to receive federally classified information directly concerning threats to New York City, rather than relying solely on cleared members of his administration or briefings that do not contain federally classified material.