Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. Thursday afternoon, the mayor said on social media.

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. Thursday afternoon, the mayor said on social media

Mamdani posted a photo of himself and Trump, saying they had a “productive meeting” and adding that he was “looking forward to building more housing in New York City”

City Hall said Mamdani’s team brought the newspapers used in a social media photo, with the number 12,000 being part of a proposal to build 12,000 more units of a project that will be announced at a later date

Mamdani also handed Trump a sheet of paper with the names of four different Columbia students — Mahmoud Khalil, Yunseo Chung, Mohsen Mahdawi and Leqaa Kordia — asking for them to have their cases dropped, according to City Hall

Mamdani posted a photo of himself and Trump, saying they had a “productive meeting” and adding that he was “looking forward to building more housing in New York City.”

I had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon.

I’m looking forward to building more housing in New York City. pic.twitter.com/XnPbt0KXYU

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 26, 2026

City Hall said Mamdani’s team brought a newspaper that could be seen in a photo posted to X, with the number 12,000 being part of a proposal to build 12,000 more units as part of a project that will be announced at a later date.

The mock New York Daily News front page says “Trump to City: Let’s Build” – a riff on the famous 1975 cover that read “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” referring to Gerald Ford’s vow to veto financial assistance to the city.

Mamdani said he also shared his concerns about the Thursday morning detainment of Columbia student Ellie Aghayeva, who was subsequently released after the meeting.

Mamdani also handed Trump a sheet of paper with the names of four different Columbia students — Mahmoud Khalil, Yunseo Chung, Mohsen Mahdawi and Leqaa Kordia — asking for them to have their cases dropped, according to City Hall.

The meeting marks the mayor’s second face-to-face meeting with the president since Mamdani was elected.

Mamdani first met with Trump as mayoral-elect in November, in a closed-door meeting. Trump then praised Mamdani at a subsequent press conference.

Most recently, Trump mentioned the mayor during his State of the Union address, continuing to incorrectly label him a communist while discussing New York City’s emergency snow shovelers program.

“I think he’s a nice guy, actually. Speak to him a lot,” Trump said. “Bad policy, but nice guy.”

Mamdani previously said his conversations with Trump would all focus on improving conditions for residents of the five boroughs.

“I think both President Trump and I, we are very clear about our positions and our views, and what I really appreciate about the president is that the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers,” the mayor said in November.