United States President Donald Trump signalled on Sunday that he intends to meet New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, saying the two would “work something out” — a possible thaw in tensions between the Republican president and the Democratic rising star who have frequently portrayed each other as adversaries.
For months, Trump has attacked Mamdani, wrongly calling him a “communist” and warning that New York would collapse if the democratic socialist won, Associated Press reported.
He even threatened to deport Mamdani — who was born in Uganda and later became a naturalised US citizen — and to withdraw federal funding from the city.
Mamdani, who went from a relatively unknown state lawmaker to a social-media sensation during his mayoral bid, emerged as a prominent face of the movement resisting Trump’s hardline, anti-immigrant policies in his second term.
His campaign, built on progressive proposals and strong opposition to Trump’s agenda, resonated with a diverse base of New Yorkers. The 34-year-old ultimately defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine percentage points.
During his election-night address, Mamdani vowed to show the rest of the country how New York could stand up to the president. Yet the following day, while outlining plans to “Trump-proof” the city, he also struck a pragmatic note, saying he was open to working with anyone — including Trump — if it benefits New Yorkers.
Mamdani’s team did not immediately comment on Trump’s latest remarks. However, a spokesperson referenced the mayor-elect’s earlier statement that he planned to contact the White House, noting that cooperation would be crucial for the city’s future.
Trump, speaking to reporters Sunday before departing Florida for Washington, echoed that sentiment. “The mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us. We’ll work something out,” he said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed Trump was referring to Mamdani and noted that no meeting date has been set.
“We want everything to work out well for New York,” Trump added.
He also indicated that the US might soon hold talks with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro following a recent military buildup near Venezuela, saying, “I’ll talk to anybody.”
