New York City Mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani has stressed that he will negotiate with the presidency to push forward his affordability agenda for the largest US city when he meets with Donald Trump at the White House on Friday.
The Mayor-elect’s ambitious agenda includes promises of free bus travel and childcare as well as expanding public housing and freezing the rent for government-subsidised properties.
Mamdani asserted that that both he and Trump ran campaigns focused on the cost-of-living crisis.“That’s why everything comes back to making the case for an affordability agenda,” he told reporters.
“I will meet with anyone. I will speak to everyone so long as it could stand to benefit an economic agenda for New Yorkers. And that’s where I will always make the case.”
Zohran Mamdani
The US President has been a vocal critic of Mamdani, often falsely calling him a “communist.” The White House has gone as far as suggesting that it would consider stripping the Mayor-elect of his US citizenship.
Trump also threatened to withhold funds to New York and deploy federal forces to the city if Mamdani is elected. Many of Trump’s allies have echoed his criticisms and used Islamophobic language against the Muslim Mayor-elect.
Mamdani had minimal name recognition before launching his mayoral campaign late last year. However, in the lead-up to the Democratic primary, he quickly rose in the polls with a message focused on lowering the cost of living.
He also has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian human rights. Mamdani ultimately defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo twice: once to clinch the Democratic nomination in June, and a second time in the November election. Cuomo, who ran on the final ballot as an independent, had Trump’s support.
After Mamdani won his election this month, Trump appeared to soften his stance, telling a news agency that he wants to “make the city succeed.”
Late on Wednesday, Trump announced on social media that he would host Mamdani at the White House. “Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran ‘Kwame’ Mamdani, has asked for a meeting,” Trump wrote.
Mamdani Unconcerned About Potential Clash With Trump
Mamdani, who is set to take office on the first day of 2026, said to reporters that he is “not concerned” about a potential clash with US President Donald Trump.
He told reporters, “I’m not concerned about this meeting.” “I view this meeting as an opportunity to make my case, and I’ll make that case to anyone,” he added.
He waved off the idea that the President could use the meeting to embarrass him.
“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.”
Zohran Mamdani
Mamdani said that he’d make it clear to the President that he was there as an emissary of the city, not simply a political newcomer.
“For me, it’s not about myself. It’s about a relationship between New York City and the White House, the President, and the federal administration. And I will look to make clear my interest goes beyond any one of an individual but it’s for the people I look to represent.”
Zohran Mamdani
When asked if he intended to bring up the President’s threats of stepped-up immigration enforcement in New York, Mamdani tried to pivot back to his affordability argument, saying that it means protecting the people of New York from price gouging in their lives, “but it also means protecting them from ICE agents and making it clear that I will look to representing every single person.”
Mamdani will take office as Mayor next year, succeeding current Mayor Eric Adams. On January 1, Mamdani will be sworn in as the 111th mayor of New York City.
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