(Nov 20): Donald Trump and New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani are set to meet at the White House on Friday, the US president said in a social media post.
The meeting marks the first time the two leaders — and political polar opposites — will come together to discuss how they can work with each other since the election earlier this month.
Mamdani was elected as mayor of New York City after campaigning on a progressive platform that includes freezing the rent on more than one million stabilised apartments, providing universal child care, funding free buses and operating city-owned grocery stores. Mamdani is seeking higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy to pay for his agenda.
Throughout Mamdani’s campaign, Trump repeatedly assailed him as a “communist” and warned his election would be devastating to New York City’s status as the world’s financial capital. The president, a native New Yorker, pushed voters to coalesce around former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary.
After Trump’s post, Mamdani in an interview on the cable network MS NOW said his team had reached out to the White House for the meeting.
“I want to just speak plainly to the president about what it means to actually stand up for New Yorkers, and the way in which New Yorkers are struggling to afford the city,” Mamdani said. “And frankly, cost of living is something that I heard time and time again from New Yorkers about why they voted for Donald Trump.”
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Trump has said his administration would pull funding from the country’s largest city if Mamdani is leading it. Since the election, the president’s aides have been reviewing funds that benefit the city for potential suspension or cancellation.
New York City received almost US$10 billion ($13.07 billion) of federal funds in fiscal year 2025, comprising 8.3% of total spending for its operating budget, according to the city comptroller’s office.
On Oct 1, the first day of the government shutdown, the White House halted US$18 billion of New York infrastructure funds, citing concerns over diversity and inclusion practices. New York is investing significantly in transit-related projects to ease congestion and facilitate necessary upgrades to ageing systems, with federal funding providing key support.
See also: Trump says he would ‘feel very comfortable’ in Muslim mayor-elect Mamdani’s New York City
Mamdani’s win gives Trump ammunition to amp up his disapproval of New York City, setting up a clash over policies on the economy, crime and immigration that will be closely watched ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
Trump since taking office has made Democratic-led municipalities a target of his administration, sending the National Guard into cities including Los Angeles and Chicago.
Mamdani has said he wants to find a way to work with Trump. The mayor-elect met with New York governor Kathy Hochul on Nov 13 to discuss preparing the city for a surge of ICE officers or the National Guard sent by the president.
The governor told reporters on Nov 17 that she’s encouraged business leaders to convey to Trump the potential fallout if he takes such action: “We are the financial center, and you cannot disturb that without consequences,” she said.
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