US President Donald Trump is set to meet New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House tomorrow—marking the first face-to-face between the Republican president and the democratic socialist who won the city’s fiercely contested mayoral race this month.
The two leaders have spent much of the election season publicly challenging one another. Trump openly supported Mamdani’s opponent, Andrew Cuomo, while Mamdani repeatedly criticised the administration’s stance on immigration and Washington’s support for Israel during the Gaza conflict.
“We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November twenty-first,” Trump announced on social media.
Mamdani confirmed earlier this week that his team had contacted the White House to arrange the meeting, signalling a willingness to move beyond political sparring.
According to his spokesperson, the mayor-elect intends to discuss key issues including public safety, economic stability and affordability—priorities he highlighted throughout his campaign.
Yet the meeting comes under the shadow of Trump’s campaign threat to block billions in federal funding if Mamdani won. New York City is slated to receive US$7.4 billion (RM30.76 billion) in federal support in fiscal year 2026—about 6.4% of the city’s entire spending, as noted in a New York State Comptroller’s report.
Throughout the race, Trump repeatedly painted Mamdani with inaccurate labels, calling him a “communist.” Meanwhile, Mamdani positioned himself as a firm counterforce to Trump’s policies, particularly on immigration, making that fight central to his victory.
Zohran Mamdani is set to take office officially on January 1.
