In an unexpected turn in American politics, President Trump and New York’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani held their first formal meeting at the White House on Friday — and both leaders described it as a “great” and surprisingly constructive encounter. 

Trump said that he and Mamdani “agree on much more than I would have imagined,” emphasizing that both want “the best for New York,” the city where he grew up and built his business empire.

He even joked about potentially moving back to the city under Mamdani’s administration, a drastic shift from his prior threats to cut federal funding if the democratic socialist candidate won. 

Mamdani called the meeting “productive” and said the two found unexpected alignment on issues related to affordability and quality of life. He noted that despite stark ideological differences, “there are shared interests worth pursuing.” 

“Te puedo decir que algunas de mis opiniones han cambiado. Y tuvimos discusiones sobre algunas cosas. No voy a discutir cuáles eran, pero me siento muy confiado en que él puede hacer un muy buen trabajo."

Trump y Mamdani, la extraña pareja

pic.twitter.com/mHwqQZvcj2

— Javier Sánchez Glez. (@javisanchezglez) November 22, 2025

The encounter marked a pause in what had been a deeply adversarial relationship. Trump had repeatedly — and incorrectly — labeled Mamdani a “communist,” while the mayor-elect had described the United States as “a nation betrayed by Donald Trump.”

Still, Mamdani stressed the institutional importance of the meeting, explaining that it is customary for an incoming New York City mayor to engage with the White House due to their mutual dependence. 

Trump confirmed the meeting request on Truth Social with a confrontational tone: “The communist mayor of New York City, Zohran ‘Kwame’ Mamdani, has asked for a meeting.” Yet the actual conversation was far more amicable than expected. 

Mamdani and the reactions after the meeting

During the meeting, Mamdani reiterated his priorities on housing, transportation costs, and the broader affordability crisis.

He later posted a clip from the Oval Office on X, writing: “In the richest city in the world, one in five people can’t afford $2.90 for the train or bus. As I told Trump: it’s time to put working people back at the center of our policy.” 

Both leaders intentionally avoided the most polarizing issues — including immigration and policing — focusing instead on areas where cooperation might be possible. 

At the end of the meeting, Trump delivered a notably conciliatory message: “I’ll be rooting for him. If he could be a spectacular success, I’d be very happy.” 

The meeting leaves open the possibility of further communication and even future collaboration, marking an unexpected moment of political détente between two figures who represent sharply different visions for New York.