{"id":203732,"date":"2026-04-20T19:54:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T19:54:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/203732\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T19:54:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T19:54:16","slug":"barack-obama-zohran-mamdani-sing-to-preschoolers-during-nyc-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/203732\/","title":{"rendered":"Barack Obama, Zohran Mamdani sing to preschoolers during NYC visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former President Barack Obama<\/a> and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> visited a preschool center in the Bronx on April 18, where they read a book and sang “Wheels on the Bus” to a group of children.<\/p>\n

It marks the pair’s first in-person meeting. They previously spoke on the phone when Obama called Mamdani<\/a> during his mayoral campaign last year.<\/p>\n

The visit also came days after Mamdani marked 100 days in office<\/a>. The 34-year-old former assemblyman became New York City’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor<\/a> when he was inaugurated in January<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the campaign trail, free childcare<\/a> was one of Mamdani’s key policy proposals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of Obama and Mamdani’s meeting, the mayor’s office said in a statement<\/a>: “In between singing wheels on the bus, the two leaders discussed the Mayor\u2019s vision for this City, and the importance of giving New York\u2019s Cutest have the strongest start possible.”<\/p>\n

Zohran Mamdani sworn in as mayor of New York City<\/p>\n

1 of 8<\/p>\n

Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor by New York Attorney General Letitia James, left, alongside his wife Rama Duwaji, right, in the former City Hall subway station on Jan. 1, 2026 in New York City. Mamdani’s term as mayor begins immediately in the new year, and a public inauguration will also take place in the afternoon at City Hall.<\/p>\n

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Obama and Mamdani meet at NYC preschool<\/p>\n

Obama and Mamdani visited the Learning Through Play Pre-K Center in the South Bronx, where they met with a class of preschoolers and their teacher, Ms. Jones.<\/p>\n

As they sat down, the children told the politicians that they knew the mayor’s name before calling out, “Mamdani.”<\/p>\n

When Obama asked, “What’s his first name?” one of the preschoolers declared, “Mayor.”<\/p>\n

“Mayor? His first name is Mayor?” Obama repeated, while Mamdani said, “Yes, I’m mayor.”<\/p>\n

They read “Alone & Together”<\/a> by \u00c9milie Chazerand, a children’s picture book about the importance of community and friendship.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, they sang “Wheels on the Bus” with the class before posing for pictures.<\/p>\n

“Great spending time with New York City\u2019s Cutest. And thanks to @NYCMayor for giving me an excuse to break out my best ‘Wheels on the Bus’,” Obama wrote on social media<\/a> afterwards.<\/p>\n

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh<\/a> and Instagram @bymelinakhan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Obama, Mamdani visit preschoolers during NYC meeting<\/a><\/p>\n