Trump Meets New York City Mayor-Elect Mamdani at the White House, Saying the Better Mamdani Does, the Happier He Is
On November 21, 2025, President Donald J. Trump met New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, their first face-to-face meeting. Speaking to reporters afterward, Trump called it a great meeting, really good and very productive, and said the two have one thing in common: We want this city of ours that we love to do very well. The better he does, the happier I am, Trump said.
The two discussed housing and getting housing built, food and prices, among other shared concerns. Mamdani said the meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love, New York City, and on the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers: the 8.5 million people who call the city home are struggling to afford life in the most expensive city in the United States, and the two spoke about rent, groceries, utilities, and the different ways in which people are being pushed out. Answering questions, Mamdani noted that one in four New Yorkers lives in poverty.
Trump expressed confidence in Mamdani, saying that people's views change and that he feels very confident Mamdani can do a very good job, adding that he thinks Mamdani is going to surprise some conservative people. Asked whether he would retract his campaign description of Trump as a despot, Mamdani said both men are very clear about their positions and views, and that he appreciated that the meeting focused not on places of disagreement, of which there are many, but on their shared purpose of serving New Yorkers. Trump added: I have been called much worse than a despot, so it is not that insulting.
On immigration enforcement and safety, Trump said the two discussed the issues at great length, perhaps more than anything else: both want a safe New York, the federal government wants to remove known murderers, drug dealers and other dangerous people, and the two will work together on it.
Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City on November 4 with 50.4 percent of the vote and takes office in January 2026.
Source: The White House
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：2025年11月21日，特朗普与纽约市候任市长马姆达尼在白宫椭圆办公室合影（白宫官方照片）。白宫摄，公共领域，经Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: President Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office on November 21, 2025 (official White House photo). By the White House, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
