President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani struck an unexpectedly warm tone Friday after a private meeting at the White House, praising one another repeatedly and highlighting broad agreement on affordability, housing construction, and public safety.
“We’ve just had a great meeting, a really good, very productive meeting,” Trump said as the two men addressed reporters in the Oval Office. “We have one thing in common. We want this city of ours that we love to do very well.”
Trump congratulated Mamdani on what he called an “incredible” victory, saying the mayor-elect “ran an incredible race… against a lot of smart people.”
He said their earlier discussion focused heavily on rising costs and the need to “get housing built,” adding: “Anything I do is going to be good for New York… we’re going to be helping him to make everybody’s dream come true — having a strong and very safe New York.”
Mamdani said he appreciated the meeting and that the conversation centered on shared concern for the cost of living. “We spoke about rent, we spoke about groceries, we spoke about utilities, we spoke about the different ways in which people are being pushed out,” he said. “I appreciated the time with the President… and I look forward to working together to deliver that affordability for New Yorkers.”
Trump softens earlier attacks
Mamdani, who campaigned on an aggressive affordability agenda, requested the meeting earlier in the week to press the case for residents grappling with the high cost of living.
Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, falsely labeling the Democratic Socialist a “communist” during campaign season and threatening to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won, signalled on the eve of the meeting that he expected the talk to be “quite civil.”
When pressed about repeatedly calling Mamdani a communist, Trump said: “He’s got views out there, but who knows… some of my views have changed.” He said he was confident Mamdani “could do a very good job” and suggested the mayor-elect may “surprise some conservative people.”
Trump also noted significant crossover support. “He said a lot of my voters actually voted for him, and I’m okay with that… that’s pretty good.”
Reporters asked Mamdani whether he still believed Trump is a despot. Before Mamdani could answer, Trump put a hand on his shoulder and said: “I’ve been called much worse than a despot… it’s not that insulting. Maybe he’ll change his mind after we get to working together.”
When another reporter asked whether Mamdani still stands by calling the president a fascist, Mamdani responded: “I think both President Trump and I, we are very clear about our positions and our views.”
Trump later jokingly told Mamdani that he did not have to explain himself: “It’s easier than explaining it.”
Broad agreement on affordability and housing
Trump said one of the key points he “gleaned very much today” was Mamdani’s desire to reduce rents through large-scale construction. “He’d like to see them come down, ideally by building a lot of additional housing… and so do I,” Trump said. “I want to see a lot of houses created, a lot of apartments built.”
Mamdani said both men repeatedly returned to “what it could look like to lift those New Yorkers out of struggle.”
The mayor-elect said his push for property-tax reform is aimed at fixing “a system that is so inequitable that it can’t even stand up in court.”
Trump emphasized that he expects to assist, not obstruct, Mamdani’s efforts. “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him — a big help,” he said. “I love New York City… I think this mayor could do some things that are going to be really great.”
Crime, ICE and policing
Trump said crime was among their deepest discussions. “He wants to have a safe New York… If you don’t have safe streets, it’s not going to be a success,” the president said. “He wants to get [bad people] out, maybe more than I do.”
Mamdani said he intends to maintain the NYPD’s current headcount — approximately 35,000 officers while reducing the number of mental health calls handled by police. “We have to make it easier for police to focus on police work,” he said.
Trump praised Mamdani’s decision to retain the current police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, calling her “really good, really competent,” saying that Tisch had a connection with his daughter Ivanka.
Foreign policy
The press conference later ranged into global issues, including Gaza and Ukraine. Mamdani reiterated his criticism of Israel’s military campaign on Gaza, saying: “I’ve spoken about the Israeli government committing genocide, and I’ve spoken about our government funding it.” He said many New Yorkers “want their tax dollars to go towards the benefit of New Yorkers and their ability to afford basic dignity.”
Trump asserted the United States had “peace in the Middle East… for the first time after 3,000 years,” and invited Mamdani to sit in on a future meeting about regional diplomacy. “If the mayor would like to be here for that meeting… absolutely,” he said.
Asked about Ukraine, Trump argued the war “should have never happened” and said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will “have to accept something.”
Would Trump live in Mamdani’s New York?
Asked whether he would feel comfortable living in New York City under Mamdani, Trump responded: “Yeah, I would, I really would, especially after the meeting. We agree on a lot more than I would have thought… I want him to do a great job, and we’ll help him do a great job.”
“Being the mayor of New York City is a big deal… especially now, because I think you’re really at a turning point, one way or the other,” Trump said, adding that it is a job he would have liked.
Mamdani closed by stressing his commitment to safety across all communities. “I care very deeply about Jewish safety,” he said, pledging to “root out antisemitism across the five boroughs.”
As the news conference drew to a close, Trump marveled at the intense media attention. “I’ve had a lot of meetings with the heads of major countries; nobody cared,” he said. “But they did care about this meeting, and it was a great meeting.”
