US President Donald Trump announced that he will meet New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House on Friday, marking the first encounter between the Republican president and the democratic socialist who secured victory in the city’s mayoral race earlier this month.
The meeting comes despite a contentious relationship between the two figures. Trump openly supported Mamdani’s rival, Andrew Cuomo, during the campaign, repeatedly criticising the mayor-elect and warning that New York City could lose billions in federal funding if Mamdani were elected. Mamdani, meanwhile, has been sharply critical of Trump’s policies, especially the administration’s approach to immigration and its handling of protests against US support for Israel during the Gaza war.
Trump confirmed the meeting in a social media statement on Wednesday, saying the two had agreed to sit down in the Oval Office on Friday, November 21. Mamdani had earlier told reporters that his team had already contacted the White House to request a meeting, describing it as part of a pledge he made to New Yorkers throughout his campaign. According to him, fulfilling that commitment required initiating direct engagement with the administration.
Mamdani’s transition team did not immediately offer any comment after Trump’s announcement.
The dynamics between the president and the incoming mayor have been strained for months, with Trump frequently using the weight of the presidency to challenge political rivals. Mamdani, in response, placed opposition to the 79-year-old president at the centre of his campaign, focusing particularly on federal actions that affected immigrants and city residents.
Friday’s meeting will be the first major interaction between the two since Mamdani’s victory one that could set the tone for the relationship between New York City’s new leadership and the Trump administration in the critical months ahead.
