Trump says he will meet Zohran Mamdani at White House on Friday

US President Donald Trump said he will meet New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House on Friday (Nov 21) in what would be the first meeting of the Republican leader with the democratic socialist who won this month’s mayoral election.

Mamdani and Trump have been critical of each other, with Trump having backed Mamdani’s opponent, Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani, for his part, has been critical of the Trump administration’s policies, including its crackdown on immigration and on protests against US support for Israel during the Gaza war.

“We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st,” Trump said on social media on Wednesday.

Mamdani told reporters earlier this week that his team had reached out to the White House to arrange a meeting.

A Mamdani spokesperson said on Wednesday the mayor-elect planned to meet Trump in Washington “to discuss public safety, economic security and the affordability agenda”.
During the mayoral election campaign, Trump threatened to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding from the city if Mamdani won.

The US federal government is providing US$7.4 billion to New York City in fiscal year 2026, or about 6.4 per cent of the city’s total spending, according to a New York State Comptroller report.

Since Mamdani’s rise, Trump has incorrectly labelled him as a “communist”.

Mamdani made countering the 79-year-old president’s actions in the city, especially on immigration, a centrepiece of his successful campaign.

Mamdani will be sworn in as mayor on Jan 1.

Source: CNA 

--Agencies