DID Press: In first official meeting between the U.S. President and New York’s mayor-elect, Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani discussed migration policy, the city’s security conditions, the war in Ukraine, and federal budget allocations. Despite representing sharply different political camps, Trump described Mamdani as “smart” and said he was ready to help ensure his success in New York.
According to the White House readout, Trump and Mamdani held talks on a range of domestic and international issues. The president stressed that, contrary to speculation, the meeting did not include any discussion about the possibility of arresting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to visit New York.
Trump reiterated that the United States “has an opportunity to advance peace in Ukraine” and again urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept the U.S. peace plan. He said the war “should never have started” and that his administration is seeking to “save many Ukrainian and Russian lives.”
Mamdani, expressing appreciation for the meeting, said he looked forward to cooperation with the federal government. He noted that he has always been an “open democratic socialist” and has never hidden his political orientation. Mamdani said he discussed the enforcement of federal immigration laws and the impact of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on New York City.
Trump praised Mamdani, saying: “We may differ on methods, but we share the same goal.” He called the mayor-elect “a smart guy” who is determined to “make New York great again,” adding that the federal government “will support him, not undermine him.”
Mamdani also said he raised the issue of “Israel’s genocide financed with U.S. tax dollars” and emphasized that federal spending must benefit American citizens. Many New Yorkers, he said, want their tax money directed toward their own communities.
At the end of the meeting, Trump said he enjoyed the conversation and believes Mamdani “has a real opportunity to accomplish big things” as mayor of New York.