Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani previewed his approach on Thursday to a highly anticipated White House meeting with Donald Trump, planned for Friday, while trying to assure New Yorkers that he is ready for whatever the president might throw his way.
The incoming democratic socialist mayor — whom Trump has repeatedly belittled the democratic socialist as a “communist” since winning the Democratic Primary in June — told reporters during a City Hall Park news conference on Nov. 20 that he requested the Oval Office sit-down earlier this week.
Mamdani sought the meeting to discuss skyrocketing costs in the five boroughs and “balancing public safety with steps taken by this administration.”
The latter point appeared to refer to Trump’s heavy-handed immigration crackdown and threats to send the National Guard to the five boroughs. Earlier this week, Trump’s border czar Tom Homan indicated ICE would be stepping up its operations in the Big Apple.
Still, Mamdani insisted that he and Trump might find common ground on making life more affordable for New Yorkers, given that many who supported the president in the 2024 election.
“I will work with anyone to make life more affordable for the more than eight and a half million people who have called the city home,” Mamdani said. “I have many disagreements with the president and I believe that we should be relentless and pursue all avenues and all meetings that can make our city affordable for every single New Yorker.”
The mayor-elect referenced a video he recorded at the start of his campaign last year in which he spoke to local Trump voters about their choices in the 2024 election. Many of those he interviewed had said they would support the affordability agenda that ultimately propelled Mamdani to victory a year later.
Mamdani added that he sees “protecting” New Yorkers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as connected to his broader agenda. He did not specifically say on Thursday if or how he would bring that up with Trump.
amNewYork reached out to the White House for comment and is awaiting a response.
Trump has made no secret of his disdain for Mamdani. He publicly backed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mamdani’s chief rival, the day before the Nov. 4 general election. During the election, the president repeatedly threatened to cut off federal funding to the city if Mamdani were to win.
Even in announcing the meeting on Truth Social, his social media platform, on Wednesday night, Trump again falsely labeled Mamdani a communist and put his middle name, Kwame, in quotation marks.
The president has used past Oval Office meetings with officials, such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to brow-beat them in front of TV cameras. While Mamdani said he is “not concerned” about Trump trying to use the gathering to publicly embarrass him, he was tight-lipped about how exactly he plans to handle such a move by the president.
“I’ll be ready for whatever happens,” Mamdani said.
It’s not clear whether the meeting between Trump and Mamdani will be public or behind closed doors.
