New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is set to meet with President Trump at the White House on Friday afternoon, where he plans to discuss affordability and public safety with the president.
The outcome of the meeting could be hugely consequential for the future of New York City. There’s a lot on the line — from funding for infrastructure projects, to setting parameters around immigration enforcement and, perhaps most importantly, Mamdani needs federal security clearance to be briefed on terror threats and other law enforcement activity.
“I will work with him on any agenda that benefits New Yorkers”
The high stakes meeting comes after months of public hostility between the two. Mr. Trump strongly opposed Mamdani during the mayoral campaign, even threatening to arrest and deport him. Mamdani has accused the president of acting like an authoritarian, and Mr. Trump has called the mayor-elect a “communist.”
“I will work with anyone to make life more affordable for the more than 8.5 million people who call this city home,” Mamdani said Thursday.
Mamdani, who vowed to “Trump-proof” the city on election night, said he reached out to the president to set up the sit-down meeting.
“I have many disagreements with the president, and I believe that we should be relentless and pursue all avenues and all meetings that could make our city affordable for every single New Yorker,” Mamdani went on to say. “I intend to make it clear to President Trump that I will work with him on any agenda that benefits New Yorkers.”
Can they find common ground?
Mr. Trump has slammed Mamdani for months, falsely labeling him a “communist” when he’s a democratic socialist.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt seemed to indicate Thursday that her boss still had reservations about the 34-year-old mayor-elect.
“I think it speaks volumes that we have a communist coming to the White House, because that’s who the Democrat party elected as the mayor of the largest city in the country,” she said.
It’s unclear if the two leaders will be able to find any common ground, but New York Gov. Kathy Hochul — who has tried to forge a working relationship with the president, despite major policy disagreements — thinks it’s possible.
“Let’s get the Gateway Tunnel finished. Let’s work on our subway system, money that we need here in the city. And also just the conversation about how it is not necessary to send in the National Guard, because crime is going down dramatically,” she said.
Friday’s meeting is set for 3 p.m. at the Oval Office. Neither camp has revealed exactly what they will discuss.
