- Trump praised Mayor Mamdani during cordial Gracie Mansion meeting.
- Housing development plans and immigration issues were discussed.
- Meeting highlights Mamdani’s strategic engagement with President Trump.
US President Donald Trump struck a notably cordial tone towards New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Monday, expressing hope that the Democratic socialist would become a “great mayor” despite months of criticism from Trump and Republicans. The unexpected praise came after Trump and his Republican allies had repeatedly portrayed Mamdani as an example of what they describe as the Democratic Party’s movement towards “communism” ahead of the US midterm elections.
Trump and Mamdani met at Gracie Mansion in New York, with the discussion covering several major issues, including housing and immigration. The meeting took place a day before Trump’s scheduled address to the United Nations General Assembly.
Trump, Mamdani Meet
Mamdani described the conversation as “wide-ranging”, while offering few details about areas where the two leaders may have disagreed. The mayor was also asked about Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House grounds. Mamdani said he had raised the issue with the president.
Mamdani said, “I told the president that we’re going to have all of the members of the press here on the lawn, and that is something that I believe in.”
Trump responded to the issue by pointing towards the journalists gathered outside and said: “It’s interesting because they said they were going to boycott me, but they never boycott me, so I wasn’t very worried about that.”
The meeting was particularly notable because no sitting US president had visited the historic mayoral residence in 45 years. Ronald Reagan was the last president to visit Gracie Mansion, when he met then-New York Mayor Ed Koch in 1981.
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Housing Talks Gain Focus
Housing emerged as one of the key areas where Trump and Mamdani could potentially work together.
Mamdani said he was willing to cooperate with anyone who could help him deliver results for New York. The mayor highlighted plans to explore new housing development at Sunnyside Yard in Queens.
Trump, meanwhile, said he saw “great potential” in Mamdani.
The Sunnyside Yard proposal has previously been discussed between the two leaders. Mamdani had raised the possibility of constructing housing above the large Queens rail facility during an earlier meeting at the White House.
The latest discussion reportedly moved towards practical coordination, involving the city’s housing agency and the White House. However, turning the proposal into reality would be a major undertaking because of the site’s complicated ownership structure and the enormous cost associated with constructing a platform over an active rail yard.
Immigration Also Discussed
The meeting also touched on immigration, with Mamdani raising the administration’s decision to end protections for Haitian immigrants.
Monday’s meeting was the third time Trump and Mamdani had sat down within less than a year. The latest interaction was arranged at Mamdani’s request, with both leaders accompanied by their respective chiefs of staff.
Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles and Mamdani’s chief of staff Elle Bisgaard-Church were present during the meeting.
The relationship between the two politicians has attracted attention because of the sharp differences between their political positions. Mamdani, a Uganda-born democratic socialist and New York’s first Muslim mayor, has faced criticism from Trump, who has frequently used the mayor as part of his broader attacks on Democrats.
Yet their personal interactions have remained comparatively restrained. During Monday’s appearance, Trump stepped back while Mamdani spoke and later gave the mayor a friendly pat on the arm.
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UN Week Tests Mamdani’s Approach
The meeting came during a busy week for Mamdani as world leaders gathered in New York for the UN General Assembly.
The mayor has also been engaging with international leaders and progressive political figures. He has met or planned meetings with leaders from Norway, Brazil and Spain, while also hosting mayors from Toronto, Mexico City and Amsterdam.
Mamdani was also scheduled to attend a dinner with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders following his meeting with Trump. The gathering was linked to a UN-related event featuring Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil.
Maintaining ties with Trump presents a different political calculation for Mamdani than his other engagements. Since their first friendly meeting at the White House about a year ago, the mayor has generally avoided direct personal attacks against the president.
