By The Midtown Times Staff
November 21, 2025
U.S. – What many expected to be a tense encounter at the White House instead unfolded as an unexpectedly cordial exchange between President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. After a private conversation in the Oval Office on Friday, both leaders emerged expressing admiration for one another and stressing their shared priorities: affordability, housing construction, and public safety.
Trump, who had spent months deriding Mamdani during the mayoral campaign, opened the joint appearance by applauding the Democrat’s decisive victory. “We just had an excellent, very constructive meeting,” Trump said. “We both want New York, a city we care deeply about, to thrive.”
He noted that much of their discussion revolved around the rising cost of living and the urgent need to expand the city’s housing stock. “Anything I do will help New York,” Trump said. “We’re going to support him as he works to create a stronger, safer city.”
Mamdani echoed that sentiment, saying the bulk of the meeting focused on affordability, the cornerstone of his platform. “We talked about rent, food costs, utilities, all the pressures pushing New Yorkers to the brink,” the mayor-elect said. “I appreciated the President’s time and look forward to partnering on delivering relief for working families.”
From Harsh Words to a Civil Exchange
The cooperative tone marked a sharp departure from Trump’s campaign-season attacks, when he labeled Mamdani a “communist” and threatened to withhold federal money if the democratic socialist won. On Friday, however, Trump struck a noticeably softer stance.
“He has some bold views, but so do I,” Trump said. “Who knows? People evolve. I think he could do a very good job, and he may surprise some conservatives.”
Reporters also pressed Mamdani about his past criticisms of the president, including calling him a “despot” and “fascist.” Before Mamdani could respond, Trump stepped in with a lighthearted deflection: “I’ve been called worse than a despot, it’s fine. Maybe he’ll change his mind once we start working together.”
Housing: The Central Point of Agreement
If the meeting had a single unifying theme, it was the need to build more housing at scale.
Trump said he was struck by Mamdani’s determination to lower rents by accelerating construction across the five boroughs.
“He wants a lot more homes built, and I agree with that,” Trump said. “We need more apartments, more units, more options.”
Mamdani reiterated that property-tax reform will be essential to any affordability push.
“Our tax system is so unequal that it can’t even hold up in court,” he said.
Trump said he intends to support Mamdani’s housing plans, not obstruct them.
“I expect to be helping him, helping a lot,” the president said. “I love New York City, and I think this mayor is capable of big achievements.”
Public Safety, Policing, and Immigration Enforcement
Crime and police staffing also featured heavily in the discussion. “He wants a safe city,” Trump said. “If the streets aren’t safe, nothing else works. And he wants to remove dangerous people, possibly even more aggressively than I do.”
Mamdani said he does not plan to scale back the NYPD’s current count of roughly 35,000 officers but intends to shift mental health calls away from police patrols.
“We need to free officers to focus on actual police work,” he said.
Trump also endorsed Mamdani’s decision to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, describing her as “capable, strong,” and noting a family connection to his daughter Ivanka.
Sharp Differences on Gaza and Ukraine
The cooperative tone briefly gave way when discussion turned to global conflicts.
Mamdani restated his condemnation of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, arguing that the campaign amounts to genocide and that federal dollars should be channeled toward domestic needs.
Trump, by contrast, claimed credit for regional calm achieved during his previous term and invited Mamdani to sit in on a future Middle East strategy session.
Asked about Ukraine, Trump repeated his view that the war “never should have begun” and suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would eventually be forced to accept concessions.
Would Trump Live in a Mamdani-Run New York?
One reporter asked the president directly if he would feel comfortable living in New York under Mamdani’s leadership.
“Absolutely,” Trump replied. “Especially after this meeting. We agree on more issues than I expected. I want him to do an excellent job.”
The president went on to describe the mayoralty as a role he once coveted.
“Being mayor of New York is a big deal,” he said. “I would’ve liked that job myself.”
Mamdani concluded the appearance by stressing his commitment to the safety of all New Yorkers, particularly Jewish communities.
“I care deeply about Jewish safety,” he said. “We are going to confront antisemitism across all five boroughs.”
As cameras continued to flash, Trump marveled at the intense attention surrounding the meeting.
“I meet with leaders of major nations and nobody cares,” he joked. “But they cared about this — and it turned out to be a great meeting.”
By the Midtown Times Staff
