Mayor of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump have been critical of each other. File
| Photo Credit: AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will meet New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House on Friday (November 21, 2025) in what would be the first meeting of the Republican leader with the democratic socialist who won this month’s mayoral election.
Zohran Mamdani and Mr. Trump have been critical of each other, with the latter having backed Mr. Mamdani’s opponent, Andrew Cuomo.
Mr. Mamdani, for his part, has been critical of the Trump administration’s policies, including its crackdown on immigration and U.S. support for Israel during the Gaza war.
“We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st,” Mr. Trump said on social media on Wednesday.
Mr. Mamdani told reporters earlier this week that his team had reached out to the White House to arrange a meeting.
A Mamdani spokesperson said on Wednesday (November 19) the mayor-elect planned to meet Mr. Trump in Washington “to discuss public safety, economic security and the affordability agenda.”
During the mayoral election campaign, Mr. Trump threatened to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding from the city if Mr. Mamdani won.
The U.S. federal government is providing $7.4 billion to New York City in fiscal year 2026, or about 6.4% of the city’s total spending, according to a New York State Comptroller report.
Since Mr. Mamdani’s rise, Mr. Trump has incorrectly labeled him as a “communist.”
Mr. Mamdani made countering the 79-year-old president’s actions in the city, especially on immigration, a centerpiece of his successful campaign.
Mr. Mamdani will be sworn in as mayor on January 1.
Published – November 20, 2025 10:42 am IST
