President Donald Trump signaled Sunday that he is open to meeting with New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, saying the two would “work something out,” a sign that even one of the nation’s most outspoken progressive newcomers recognizes the importance of cooperating with the White House.
Trump has not shied away from criticizing Mamdani throughout the mayoral race, warning that the democratic socialist’s agenda would drive New York further into decline. The president previously blasted Mamdani’s rhetoric and far-left platform, which included attacks on Trump’s immigration policies and broader agenda in his second term. Trump also noted Mamdani’s past positions and labeled him a “communist,” while highlighting concerns about the city’s direction under such leadership.
Mamdani, 34, surged from relative obscurity as a state legislator to becoming a social-media darling for the progressive movement, emerging as a prominent face of resistance to Trump during the campaign. Despite his hard-left platform, he managed to rally enough support to defeat former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine points.
On election night, Mamdani told supporters he wanted New York to show the rest of the country “how to defeat the president.” Yet within a day, the incoming mayor softened his tone, acknowledging that despite his pledge to “Trump-proof” the city, he would work with anyone—including President Trump—if it would benefit New Yorkers.
When asked about a possible meeting, representatives for Mamdani did not comment directly, instead pointing back to the mayor-elect’s earlier remarks in which he admitted he planned to reach out to the White House “because this is a relationship that will be critical to the success of the city.”
Trump appeared open to that outreach.
“The mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us. We’ll work something out,” Trump told reporters before returning to Washington from Florida.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that the president was referring to Mamdani and noted that a date had not yet been set.
“We want to see everything work out well for New York,” Trump said, signaling that despite deep ideological differences, he is prepared to engage for the good of the city.
