Trump Predicts He'll 'Get On Fine' With Zo...

President Donald Trump is meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office at 3 p.m. ET on Friday.

It is the first talk between the two leaders who have previously been deeply critical of each other, with Trump repeatedly, and incorrectly, labeling the socialist Democrat a "communist" and threatening to withhold federal funding from New York if he won. Meanwhile, Mamdani said in his victory speech that the U.S. was "a nation betrayed by Donald Trump."

However, Trump on Friday said that he predicted a civil meeting with Mamdani today, telling Fox News Radio that they would “get along fine." Similarly, Mamdani has brushed off concerns he may be walking into a political ambush, similar to the one Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky faced in the White House in February. “I’ll be ready for whatever happens,” he told reporters Thursday.

What To Know

Mamdani, who will be sworn in Jan. 1, 2026, won the NYC race with historic voter turnout and countered Trump's actions in the city, particularly on immigration.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mamdani confirmed that it was his team that had arranged the meeting, adding it was “customary for an incoming mayor of this city to meet with the White House, given the mutual reliance.”
"Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran 'Kwame' Mamdani, has asked for a meeting," Trump posted on Truth Social on Nov. 19.
The meeting is set to begin at 3 p.m. ET and will be held closed doors.

Stay with Newsweek for the latest updates.

Nov 21, 2025 at 02:33 PM EST

Mamdani: ‘Ready for whatever happens’

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House this evening, a high-profile encounter that has drawn national attention.

Mamdani, who campaigned on sweeping affordability measures in New York City, told reporters he is “ready for whatever happens” during the Oval Office meeting. He described the sit-down as an opportunity to press his case for policies that would ease residents' costs.

“I view this meeting as an opportunity to make my case,” Mamdani said Thursday. “It behooves me to leave no stone unturned in making the city more affordable.”

While acknowledging “many disagreements” with Trump, Mamdani emphasized the importance of pursuing every possible avenue to advance his agenda. Earlier in the day, he posted a selfie on social media as he traveled to Washington, underscoring the public interest surrounding the meeting.

Nov 21, 2025 at 02:25 PM EST

Zohran Mamdani’s affordability agenda draws attention in New York City

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s campaign promises have sparked debate across New York City, with sweeping proposals aimed at tackling affordability in one of the world’s most expensive urban centers.

Among his headline initiatives is a plan to establish the city’s first universal childcare program, offering free care for children from six weeks to five years old. The proposal would expand on pre-K and 3-K programs introduced under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, with funding drawn from higher taxes on corporations and the city’s wealthiest residents.

Public transit also featured prominently in Mamdani’s platform. He pledged to eliminate bus fares citywide, building on a pandemic-era pilot program, while expanding bus-only lanes to improve service. The initiative would rely on increased corporate tax rates and higher income taxes for New Yorkers earning more than $1 million annually.

Another controversial idea is Mamdani’s plan to open five city-run grocery stores, one in each borough. Framed as a “public option for produce,” the proposal seeks to counter rising food costs by leveraging city-owned land, wholesale purchasing, and property tax exemptions. Critics, however, have likened the concept to government rationing.

Mamdani’s broader affordability agenda also includes freezing rents for roughly one million rent-stabilized tenants. While supporters view his platform as bold and transformative, opponents argue the measures are financially unrealistic.

Nov 21, 2025 at 02:17 PM EST

Trump to meet NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani amid GOP attacks

President Donald Trump will meet Friday with New York City mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist whose victory Republicans have sought to cast as a national warning sign. The two are scheduled to sit down at the White House at 3 p.m. ET.

Mamdani’s win earlier this month has sparked GOP efforts to portray him as a political “boogeyman,” but recent polling suggests his public standing is not especially weak. Surveys by Marquette University Law School and Reuters‑Ipsos show Americans view him slightly more unfavorably than favorably, yet his ratings are stronger than those of Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Polls also indicate Mamdani resonates with younger voters and independents, particularly on affordability issues such as rent freezes and public transit. White House adviser James Blair credited his focus on cost of living for helping him overcome charges of extremism.

Republicans, however, see utility in elevating Mamdani as a foil. Polling shows he polarizes older voters and animates GOP opposition far more than he energizes Democrats. Analysts say that while he may serve as a rallying point for conservatives, his appeal on economic issues complicates efforts to brand him as a pariah.

Nov 21, 2025 at 02:07 PM EST

What has the White House said about Mamdani-Trump meeting?

Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, commented on the meeting between NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump during her Thursday press briefing.

“It speaks to the fact that President Trump is willing to meet with anyone and talk to anyone and to try to do what’s right on behalf of the American people whether they live in blue states or red states or blue cities, in a city that’s becoming much more left than I think this president ever anticipated in his many years of living in New York," she said.

Nov 21, 2025 at 02:03 PM EST