Mamdani hosts Trump at Gracie Mansion ahead of UN meeting

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(The Center Square) — President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met at Gracie Mansion on Monday, telling reporters at a press conference after the closed-door meeting they discussed housing, immigration and the Big Apple's cost of living crisis.

Trump arrived at the mayor's official residence Monday evening ahead of his high-stakes meetings with global leaders this week at the 81st United Nations General Assembly. He is scheduled to deliver a major address and discuss international conflicts, trade, and artificial intelligence.

Speaking to reporters after the nearly hour-long private meeting, Trump and Mamdani gave brief remarks outside Gracie Mansion and took a few questions. 

Mamdani said a major topic of discussion between the two was improving "affordability" for New Yorkers amid rising costs.

“Each time the president and I speak, it’s about the same topic: how to improve the lives of New Yorkers, and how to use the power of government to take on the cost of living crisis, to grow our economy, and to build a better, stronger New York,” Mamdani said.

Mamdani said he is willing to work with the president and "anyone no matter what party they belong to, no matter how much we may disagree on other topics" if they can "deliver results for the city." 

“We appreciated the conversation of how we can work together to deliver a lower cost of living for New Yorkers," Mamdani said.

The mayor said he also raised the issue of extending temporary protected status for Haitians and other immigrants, acknowledging the president's opposition to the expiring TPS programs. 

"The president and I have both been very frank about the disagreements we have, and immigration is one of those places," Mamdani said. 

The two men also discussed the familiar topic of a massive housing project at the Sunnyside Yard in Queens — a 180-acre railyard — which would create thousands of new housing units in the city. The two had discussed that project at a previous meeting. On Monday, Trump seemed to leave the door open to federal assistance for the project. 

"I can tell you that Sunnyside’s a big job — I’ve been watching that for 35 years,” Trump said.  "Everybody’s wanted to do something with Sunnyside Yards.  You’re going to need a lot of federal approvals and probably some federal money to do it. But it’s always been a great location." 

Trump's stop by Gracie Manor is the latest example in the odd-couple "bromance" between the two political heavyweights that has stunned many observers, given their vastly different ideological views and partisan bases.

Trump criticized Mamdani during last year's mayoral campaign, calling him a "communist" and claiming that a Mamdani mayoral administration would "ruin" his hometown, but the two men have had two cordial Oval Office meetings since the mayor was elected.

His visit to the mayor's residence was also the first by a sitting U.S. president since President Ronald Reagan met with then-Mayor Ed Koch in 1981 to drop off a check to the city for an infrastructure project. 

In a previous social media post, Trump said he has visited Gracie Mansion many times over the years. Trump posted on Truth Social that the manor is his "favorite place in the world" and said he has "spent lots of hours there over the years, with some great Mayors, some average Mayors, and some bad Mayors." 

“I can say from my standpoint, I love New York, and this represents New York,” Trump said at Monday's press briefing, adding that he hopes Mamdani will be a "great mayor."