Trump to meet Mamdani soon? US President says 'we'll work something out'

US President Donald Trump signalled that he may meet NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, softening months of sharp attacks, even as the White House reviews federal funds that support the city

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday (local time) that he expects to meet New York City’s Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani soon. Trump, who has repeatedly criticised Mamdani by labelling him a “communist”, told reporters they would “work something out".

 

Trump had predicted disaster for New York if the Democratic socialist won the mayoral race. He also threatened to deport Mamdani -- who was born in Uganda and later became a naturalised US citizen -- and warned of pulling federal funds from the city.

 

Mamdani says he will work with anyone for NYC

 

In his victory speech, Mamdani said he wanted New York to show the nation how to counter Trump’s agenda. But the next day, while discussing plans to “Trump-proof” the city once he takes office in January, he also noted his willingness to work with the White House if it benefits residents.

 

 

Representatives for Mamdani did not respond to Trump’s latest remarks on Sunday, but referred to the Mayor-elect’s earlier comments that he intends to reach out to the White House “because this is a relationship that will be critical to the success of the city".

 

Trump appeared to agree, saying, “The Mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us. We'll work something out." 

 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed Trump was referring to Mamdani, adding that no meeting date has been finalised.

 

“We want to see everything work out well for New York,” Trump said.

 

Trump’s comments came as he signalled openness to talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, saying, “I'll talk to anybody.”   

 

White House reviews funding after Mamdani’s victory

 

Trump aides have been reviewing federal funding allocated to New York City since Mamdani’s win. The review aims to identify programmes that could be paused or cancelled, an indication that the President may still follow through on threats to punish the city financially, Bloomberg reported last week.

 

The administration is awaiting Trump’s final approval on any funding freeze and noted there has been no communication between the White House and Mamdani’s transition team so far, the news report said.

 

New York received nearly $10 billion in federal funds in the financial year 2025, accounting for 8.3 per cent of its operating budget. These funds supported education, housing, social services and other assistance for low-income communities.

 

Mamdani's agenda for New York

 

Mamdani, 34, won the mayoral election after defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo by almost nine percentage points. His proposals include freezing rent on more than one million stabilised apartments, expanding universal child care, funding free bus services and opening city-run grocery stores. He plans to finance these initiatives through new taxes on large corporations and top earners.

 

Speaking to NBC New York last week, Mamdani said, “I’ll say that I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone that calls this city home, and wherever there’s a possibility for working together towards that end, I’m ready, and if it’s to the expense of those New Yorkers, I’ll fight it.”

 

Political risks around funding cuts

 

New York is home to the Democratic leadership in both chambers of Congress.

 

On October 1, the first day of the government shutdown, the White House froze $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding, citing concerns about diversity and inclusion requirements. The city relies heavily on federal support for major transportation projects aimed at reducing congestion and updating aging systems.

 

(With agency inputs)