WASHINGTON (TNND) — After winning the New York City Mayoral election earlier this month, Zohran Mamdani met face-to-face with President Donald Trump for the first time.
Mamdani arrived at the White House on Friday just before their scheduled 3 p.m. meeting.
We’ve just had a great meeting — a really good, very productive meeting. We have one thing in common: we want this city of ours that we love to do very well,” Trump told reporters during a news conference in the Oval Office.
Trump, who congratulated Mamdani on winning the mayoral election, said he and Mamdani discussed several topics, as well as agreed on many of them, including lowering crime, the cost of living, and adding more housing in NYC.
The president said while there are things they disagree on, he’s “very confident” Mamdani will “do a great job” because the mayor-elect wants to make NYC great again. He said he will be “cheering” him on, adding that he thinks Mamdani will “surprise” some conservatives.
He’s got views that are a little out there, but who knows. We’re going to see what works. He’s going to change, also. We all change. I changed a lot,” Trump said, noting that he’s altered some of his views since his first term in office.
Trump said he and Mamdani also discussed immigration issues in NYC “at great length.” He said they both want to make the city as safe as possible by “getting out” murderers and other violent criminals.
“He wants to have a safe New York,” Trump said. “Ultimately, a safe New York is going to be a great New York … No matter how well we do with pricing, with anything else — we can talk about anything you want — if you don’t have safe streets, it’s not going to be a success. So, we’re going to work together. We’re going to make sure that if there are horrible people there, we want to get them out and I think he wants to get them out — maybe more than I do.”
Trump also said he would feel comfortable living in NYC during Mamdani’s term.
I expect to be helping him, not hurting him,” Trump said. “I want him to do a great job and we’ll help him do a great job.
Mamdani described the meeting as “productive,” noting that they focused on a shared admiration and love of NYC and the need to deliver affordability to the people who are struggling to live in the most expensive city in the nation.
He said he and the president spoke about rent, groceries, utilities, child care as well as “the different ways people are being pushed out” of the city.
I appreciated the time with the president,” Mamdani said. “I appreciated the conversation. I look forward to working together to deliver that affordability for New Yorkers.”
Another reporter pressed Mamdani, asking him if he still thinks Trump is a fascist.
“That’s OK. You can say yes,” Trump said with a laugh. “It’s easier than explaining. I don’t mind.”
It’s a change of tune for both politicians, as they exchanged jabs through Mamdani’s campaign. When I reporter asked Mamdani if he wanted to retract his claim — as Mamdani called the president a despot who betrayed the U.S. — Mamdani said he was pleased he and Trump didn’t focus on their disagreements during their meeting, but chose instead to talk about how they want to do what’s best for New York residents.
“I’ve been called much worse than a despot, so it’s not that insulting,” Trump said. “I think he’ll change his mind after we get to work.”
Ahead of the meeting, Mamdani shared a selfie on social media. It showed him smiling on a plane before he flew to Washington for the one-on-one meeting.
Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, previously said he requested the meeting after winning the election by more than 50% of the vote.
“My team reached out to the White House to set up this meeting because I will work with anyone to make life more affordable for the more than eight and a half million people who call this city home,” Mamdani said to reporters on Thursday. “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.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that “a communist is coming to the White House” when talking about Mamdani’s meeting with the president.
It speaks volumes that tomorrow 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.”
Mamdani has denied being a communist.
Trump, a New York City resident for most of his life, urged voters to vote for Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, for New York City mayor.
The president threatened New York City’s federal funding if Mamdani won the election.
In his victory speech, Mamdani called out the president directly, saying, “I know you’re watching.”
Since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up!”
The day after Election Day, Trump spoke with Fox News, saying that Mamdani was already “off to a bad start.”
I thought it was a very angry speech, certainly angry toward me. And I think he should be very nice to me. You know, I’m the one that sort of has to approve a lot of things coming to him, so he’s off to a bad start.”
“I’m so torn, because I would like to see the new mayor do well, because I love New York. I really love New York,” Trump said.
Mamdani used Thursday as a day to prep for the meeting, holding calls with multiple political leaders on how to approach his meeting with Trump.
The New York City mayor-elect held calls with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Rev. Al Sharpton, as well as former CEO of UBS Americas Robert Wolf.
In the past, previous New York City mayors have met with sitting presidents, with the last mayor, Eric Adams, meeting with Trump in May 2025.