Trump Says Meeting with Mamdani in Planning Stages: ‘We’ll Work Something Out’

President Trump announced plans to meet with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House, marking a potential thaw in relations after a contentious election season in which Trump harshly criticized the incoming mayor.

“The mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us and we’ll work something out,” Trump told reporters Sunday as he prepared to return to Washington from Florida. According to the president, Mamdani initiated the request for a meeting, though White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated no specific date has been set.

The planned meeting represents a significant shift in tone from Trump, who had previously labeled Mamdani a “communist” and even endorsed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race. During the campaign, Trump’s rhetoric toward Mamdani was particularly harsh, including statements aimed at Jewish voters.

“Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!” Trump wrote on Election Day, urging voters to support Cuomo instead.

The upcoming meeting holds particular significance given the stark policy differences between the two leaders, especially on immigration. Mamdani has vowed to resist Trump’s immigration agenda, setting up what many political observers expect to be a challenging relationship between the nation’s largest city and the federal government.

During the campaign, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from New York City if Mamdani were elected. “If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York City, it is highly unlikely that I will be contributing Federal Funds, other than the very minimum as required, to my beloved first home,” Trump stated earlier this month.

The president suggested that under Mamdani’s leadership, the city would have “ZERO chance of success, or even survival,” and claimed that as president, it was his “obligation to run the Nation” and not “send good money after bad.”

New York City relies heavily on federal funding for various programs, including infrastructure, housing, education, and public safety initiatives. Any reduction in federal support could significantly impact the city’s budget and operations, potentially forcing difficult fiscal decisions for the incoming administration.

Mamdani’s victory on November 4 surprised some political analysts who had expected the race to be closer. His campaign focused on affordable housing, police reform, and protecting immigrant communities—positions that put him directly at odds with Trump’s policy priorities.

The meeting could signal a pragmatic approach from both leaders despite their differences. For Mamdani, establishing a working relationship with the federal government is crucial for addressing New York’s ongoing challenges, while Trump may see value in finding common ground with the leader of a city he has frequently described as his “first home.”

Political experts note that mayors and presidents often find ways to work together on practical matters even amid ideological disagreements. Infrastructure spending, disaster preparedness, and economic development typically transcend partisan divisions when it comes to federal-municipal relationships.

Whether this meeting represents the beginning of a productive working relationship or merely a brief pause in hostilities remains to be seen, but it suggests at least a tentative willingness from both sides to engage directly rather than simply trading barbs through the media.