Despite deriding Mamdani as he campaigned for mayor, Trump has taken a liking to him after their one-on-one meeting late last year.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are set to meet on Thursday at the White House, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.
Thursday’s scheduled meeting is expected to include housing in part and was not on the president’s public schedule. It will also mark the second time the two leaders meet.
Despite deriding Mamdani as he campaigned for mayor, Trump has taken a liking to him after their one-on-one meeting late last year.
At last year’s meeting following Mamdani’s win, the Republican president and New York City’s Mayor-were warm and friendly, speaking repeatedly of their shared goals to help Trump’s hometown rather than their combustible differences.
During that meeting, Mamdani and Trump said they discussed housing affordability and the cost of groceries and utilities, as Mamdani successfully used frustration over inflation to get elected, just as the president did in the 2024 election.
“Some of his ideas are really the same ideas that I have,” the president said of Mamdani about inflationary issues.
Trump also mentioned Mamdani during his State of the Union on Tuesday and noted that he communicates regularly with the NYC mayor.
“And even the new communist mayor of New York City,” he said during the speech. “I think he’s a nice guy, actually speak to him a lot. Bad policy, but nice guy.”
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