Trump says he’ll ‘work something out’ as Mamdani seeks White House meeting

Trump, Mamdani plan White House meeting

US President Donald Trump has mentioned that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani had requested a meeting with him. "The mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us and we’ll work something out," Trump said. "He would like to come to Washington and meet, and we’ll work something out."

This comes as New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani signalled on Monday that he is willing to meet President Donald Trump, stating that his team has already reached out to the White House and that he would travel to Washington if it could help address the city’s affordability crisis.

"I will go to make the case to the president," he said, emphasizing his commitment to meeting anyone who can support New Yorkers facing rising costs and shrinking programs like SNAP.

Mamdani has also urged Trump to reverse SNAP cuts affecting low-income families during the recent government shutdown. "The president ran a campaign where he promised to deliver cheaper groceries, promised to reduce the cost of living," Mamdani said. "But we are seeing his actions and those of his administration in Washington leading to the exact opposite."

However, no date has been set for the meeting.

Change in Trump's tone 

The possible meeting marks an unexpected shift in a relationship long defined by confrontation. During the mayoral campaign, Trump repeatedly attacked Mamdani, labelling him a communist, questioning his citizenship, and threatening to cut federal funds or deploy federal troops if he won. Mamdani, who became a vocal critic of Trump’s immigration policies, framed his campaign as a challenge to the White House.

On Sunday, Trump appeared to adopt a more conciliatory tone. "We want to see everything work out well for New York," he said, a sentiment he reiterated on Monday. "This is a relationship that will be critical to the success of the city," he previously told NBC New York. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that Trump was referring to a potential meeting with Mamdani.

Trump’s willingness to meet represents a potential detente between the Republican president and the Democratic political star, who have long positioned themselves as political opponents. Trump has repeatedly labelled Mamdani a “communist” and warned that his election would harm New York, while also threatening deportation and the withdrawal of federal funds.

Mamdani, 34, rose from an obscure state lawmaker to a social media figure and symbol of resistance to Trump during his mayoral campaign. He promoted progressive policies and opposed the administration’s anti-immigrant agenda. In the election, he defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine percentage points, appealing to a wide cross-section of New Yorkers.