Highlights:
- Trump says NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has requested a meeting at the White House.
- Mamdani says he will go to Washington to discuss affordability and SNAP cuts.
- The two leaders have a history of sharp political conflict.
- Trump now appears open to cooperating, saying he wants “things to work out” for New York.
- Mamdani recently won the mayoral race, defeating Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine points.
President Donald Trump said that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has requested a meeting with him, suggesting that both sides are now open to improving their relationship after months of public fighting. Trump told reporters that Mamdani wants to meet at the White House, adding, “We’ll work something out.”
Mamdani also confirmed on Monday (17) that his team has already reached out to the White House. He said he is willing to travel to Washington if the meeting can help New Yorkers who are struggling with the rising cost of living.
According to him, the city's affordability crisis, including high grocery prices and cuts to assistance programs like SNAP, makes it necessary to speak with anyone who can help, even if that means meeting the president.
“I will go to make the case to the president,” Mamdani said. He added that he is committed to talking to any leader who can support New Yorkers facing higher living costs and shrinking social programs. Mamdani has urged Trump to reverse SNAP cuts that affected many low-income families during the recent government shutdown. He reminded Trump of his campaign promises: lowering grocery costs and improving affordability. “But we are seeing the opposite,” he said.
No date has been set for the meeting yet.
The possibility of the two meeting marks a major change in their relationship. Throughout the mayoral race, Trump mocked and attacked Mamdani, calling him a communist, questioning his citizenship, and threatening to cut federal troops to the city.
Mamdani, meanwhile, became a strong critic of Trump's immigration policies and positioned his campaign as a direct challenge to the president's agenda.
However, Trump appears to be softening his tone. Over the weekend, he said he wants things to 'work out well for New York.' He repeated that message on Monday (17), saying the relationship between the White House and the city is important for New York's success.
White House press secretary Karline Leavitt confirmed that Trump was speaking about a potential meeting with Mamdani.
If the meeting happens, it would mark a rare moment of cooperation between the Republican president and the progressive Democratic mayor-elect. Trump has often portrayed Mamdani as a dangerous figure, accusing him of being extreme and warning that his election could harm the city. He even raised the threat of deporting Mamdani or withholding federal funds.
Mamdani, who is 34, rose from a relatively unknown state lawmaker to a major political figure through social media and grassroots organizing. His progressive message and sharp criticizm of Trump helped him gain attention.
In the election, he defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo by almost nine per cent points, drawing support from a wide range of New Yorkers.
Though the two leaders have long been political opponents, both now seem willing to talk perhaps signaling a new chapter for the city and the White House.
