I'd 'feel comfortable' in Mamdani's New York, says Trump after 1st meeting

Trump adopted a conciliatory tone with Mamdani at the White House, vowing not to cut funds and highlighting common ground on rent, utilities and housing

US President Donald Trump adopted a markedly softer tone toward New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday, saying after their first face-to-face meeting that he would “feel very comfortable” living in a city led by him and did not anticipate cutting federal funding to the nation’s most populous metropolis.

 

“I expect to be helping him, not hurting him,” Trump said at a press conference, repeatedly emphasising the two leaders’ shared concerns over the cost of living. “I want New York City to be great.”

 

The Oval Office meeting carried high political stakes for both sides. Trump had spent much of the mayoral campaign branding Mamdani, a democratic socialist who ran on a progressive platform, as a “communist” and warning he would pull federal funds from New York. Republicans also attempted to turn the 34-year-old into a national symbol of left-wing excess.

 

But on Friday, the tone was notably warmer. 

What prompted Trump’s shift in tone toward Mamdani?

Trump dismissed questions about Mamdani previously calling him a “despot”, saying it was “not that insulting”. Both men said their discussion focused heavily on rent, groceries and utility costs, with Trump noting that he supported some of Mamdani’s affordability proposals, including building more housing.

 

“We agree on a lot more than I would have thought,” Trump said, adding that they would “work out” differences on immigration. He insisted Mamdani “wants to have a safe New York” and said he had “very little doubt” they would find common ground.

 

Mamdani, whose team had requested the meeting, said his priority was to “speak plainly to the President” about the financial pressures facing New Yorkers. “I appreciate the meeting with the President, which focused again on the five boroughs and whether New Yorkers could afford to live there,” he said.

What issues dominated the Oval Office discussion?

The mayor-elect swept to victory earlier this month on promises to freeze rents in more than a million stabilised apartments and raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy to fund universal child care and free buses. He has also pledged to “Trump-proof” the city by expanding legal support for immigrants, including allocating $165 million for defence services.

Trump repeatedly came to Mamdani’s defence during the press conference, noting that a portion of his own supporters had voted for the mayor-elect. Mamdani said roughly one-tenth of his voters had backed Trump.

How crucial is federal funding to New York City?

Managing the relationship with Washington will be one of Mamdani’s earliest tests. Federal funding accounted for nearly $10 billion — about 8.3 per cent — of New York City’s operating budget in fiscal 2025, supporting education, housing, social services and other programmes for low-income residents.

Asked whether he still planned to cut that money, Trump replied: “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Did the leaders discuss federal enforcement actions and public safety?

The two also discussed concerns about potential federal enforcement actions in the city. Mamdani highlighted New York’s sanctuary laws, which allow cooperation with federal agencies in cases involving serious crimes, while warning against actions that might endanger everyday residents.

 

Trump, who has deployed the National Guard in Democratic-run cities including Los Angeles and Chicago, praised Mamdani’s decision to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. He also surprised reporters by suggesting that being mayor of New York was a role he had long admired.

 

“I always said one of the things I would love to be someday is the mayor of New York City,” he said. “I think you’re at a turning point, it could go great, or it could go in a different direction. And I think you really have a chance to make it great.”