FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker announced his resignation Wednesday, just one day after Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral election, the department confirmed to Newsmax.
Tucker said he would step down effective Dec. 19, 2025, marking the end of his tenure as the department’s 35th commissioner.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as the 35th New York City Fire Commissioner,” Tucker said in a statement provided to Newsmax.
“Between now and then, I will continue to lead the greatest fire department in the world and will ensure an orderly transition.”
The announcement — which did not cite a specific reason for his departure — comes amid a major political shake-up at City Hall following Mamdani’s historic win.
The socialist Queens lawmaker — whose anti-Israel views are well documented, raising fears among many Jewish New Yorkers — becomes New York’s first Muslim, first South Asian, and youngest-ever mayor, signaling a sharp shift in the city’s leadership.
Tucker, appointed by Mayor Eric Adams in August 2024, came to the FDNY with a background outside firefighting.
His father held a copy of the Hebrew Bible during his swearing-in — the same Bible that was used for his bar mitzvah.
Before joining city government, he served as CEO of a private security and investigations firm and previously worked as a special assistant in the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
During his time at the FDNY, Tucker oversaw 17,000 employees, a $2 billion budget, and helped craft a strategic plan for 2025 focused on modernizing emergency response and boosting firefighter recruitment.
His brief tenure was marked by efforts to improve departmental transparency, expand training programs, and strengthen the city’s disaster preparedness.
Supporters credit him with bringing a business-minded approach to one of the city’s most storied agencies.
He has also been involved in various charitable endeavors, including serving as secretary of the FDNY Foundation, and has received honors from the New York Board of Rabbis and Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City.
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