File photo: US President Donald Trump and New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (Picture credit: AP)
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran “Kwame” Mamdani, will meet him at the Oval Office on Friday, 21 November. In a post on Truth Social, the president wrote: “Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran ‘Kwame’ Mamdani, has asked for a meeting. We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st. Further details to follow!” The meeting comes after months of sharp public clashes between the two leaders.According to The New York Times, Mamdani’s team reached out to White House officials last week to arrange a meeting revolving around New York’s affordability crisis, a move that marks a noticeable shift in tone. During his campaign, the mayor-elect had described Trump as a threat to democracy and argued that only he had the “backbone” to stand up to him. Trump, meanwhile, repeatedly labelled him a “100 per cent communist lunatic” and backed his rival, Andrew M Cuomo.Despite their differences, Mamdani has said he is willing to meet the president to address New York’s affordability crisis, as per The New York Times. He has argued that soaring living costs — including groceries and rent — are pushing residents out of the city. Speaking at a Bronx food pantry, he said that while voters were drawn to Trump’s promises to reduce costs, “we are seeing his actions and that of his administration in Washington leading to the exact opposite effect for New Yorkers.” As per The Guardian, Mamdani has stressed he is open to working with “anyone and everyone” if it benefits the city’s 8.5 million residents. When asked what he would say to Trump, Mamdani responded, “I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone that calls this city home, and wherever there is a possibility for working together towards that end, I’m ready, and if it’s to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight it.”In an earlier interview, he said the relationship with the White House would be “critical to the success of the city” and that he planned to be “proactive” as he prepares to take office on 1 January.The meeting will take place at a tense moment for New York City. According to NYT, city leaders have been preparing for possible clashes with the federal government after the president threatened to send National Guard troops and explored using a Staten Island Coast Guard facility to detain immigrants. Trump has also withheld billions in federal aid and suggested he could pull more.As the two prepare to meet, Mamdani has maintained that while he is ready to cooperate where possible, he will oppose any action that harms New Yorkers. As quoted by The Guardian, he said recently, “I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone that calls this city home… and if it’s to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight it.”