WASHINGTON, D.C. November 21, 2025 – President Donald Trump welcomed New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a prominent democratic socialist, to the Oval Office on Friday for what the president described as a “great” and “very productive” meeting focused on the future of the nation’s largest city.
In brief remarks captured on video and shared by the White House Rapid Response team, Trump sat at the Resolute Desk flanked by presidential and military flags, with Mamdani standing respectfully to his side. The president highlighted a shared goal for New York City’s success, stating: “We’ve just had a great meeting—a really good, very productive meeting. We have one thing in common: we want this city of ours that we love to do very well.”
The meeting marks an early outreach effort by the incoming Trump administration to Democratic-led urban centers ahead of Trump’s second term inauguration in January 2026. Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who won a stunning upset in the November 2025 NYC mayoral race, has previously been a vocal critic of Trump-era policies on immigration, policing, and economic inequality.
Details of the discussion remain limited, but sources close to the White House indicated topics included federal support for infrastructure, public safety, and economic development in New York. The encounter comes amid ongoing tensions between the federal government and sanctuary cities like New York, particularly on issues such as deportation enforcement and funding for law enforcement.
The bipartisan gesture drew mixed reactions online, with some praising the dialogue as a sign of pragmatic governance, while others expressed skepticism given the stark ideological differences between the two leaders.
This is President Trump’s first publicized meeting with a major-city Democratic mayor since his 2024 election victory. Further details on potential cooperation between the administration and New York City are expected in the coming weeks.
