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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has received his federal security clearance, nearly nine months after taking office, meaning he can now be briefed on classified intel about terror plots and other risks to New York.

Getting into it: “Yes, I have my security clearance,” Mamdani told reporters at an unrelated press conference in Brooklyn on Wednesday. A spokesperson said it came through sometime this week but wouldn’t give an exact date. Until now, Mamdani had been relying on NYPD briefings that didn’t involve classified information, along with senior members of his administration who already had clearances. The Department of Homeland Security, which processed his clearance, declined to say what caused the holdup and referred questions to the FBI, which handles background checks.

“The process of my getting a federal security clearance is ongoing,” Mamdani said on Sept. 15, describing the timeline as typical.

The approval came days after Mamdani hosted President Trump at Gracie Mansion during the UN General Assembly, though there’s no indication the meeting played a role. Critics say Trump has turned clearances into a political tool after revoking them last year for New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who both led cases against him.

Mamdani’s wait was longer than some recent mayors, with Michael Bloomberg getting his in about four months and Eric Adams in about five, though Bill de Blasio waited more than a year after applying late.