President Donald Trump agreed to sit down with Zohran Mamdani—but what does the incoming New York City mayor hope to get out of it?
Trump announced on Wednesday that he will be meeting with Mamdani on Friday after calling him a “communist” for months. Trump fiercely opposed Mamdani’s campaign, even opting to endorse former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the mayoral election instead of the Republican candidate.
“Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran ‘Kwame’ Mamdani, has asked for a meeting. We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st. Further details to follow!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Mamdani confirmed that he asked for a meeting with Trump in a Wednesday appearance on MS NOW, formerly MSNBC.
“We did reach out to the White House, and my team reached out because of a commitment that I made to New Yorkers that I would be willing to meet with anyone and everyone so long as it was to the benefit of the 8.5 million people who call the city home and their struggle to afford the most expensive city in the United States of America,” Mamdani said on MS NOW’s “All In with Chris Hayes.”
He also said he hopes to speak to Trump about affordability in New York City—a familiar message that helped Mamdani secure the win over his opponents earlier this month.
“I want to just speak plainly to the president about what it means to actually stand up for New Yorkers and the way in which New Yorkers are struggling to afford this city,” Mamdani said.
“And, frankly, cost of living is something that I heard time and time again from New Yorkers about why they voted for Donald Trump. And this is something that has only continued in the last few months of this year, where we’re hearing about childcare concerns, rent concerns, ConEd concerns, even just getting on the bus, just $2.90, and just to make it clear to the president that this is what we’re talking about,” he continued.
“These are the stakes for New Yorkers and their ability to keep calling this city their home,” he added.
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