NEW YORK – President Donald Trump made an unexpected stop at Gracie Mansion on Monday before delivering a speech at the United Nations, spending about an hour with Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a conversation that also revisited New York’s political history.
Standing alongside Mamdani after the meeting, Trump reflected on his past visits to the official residence of New York’s mayors. He recalled the city leaders he considered “great ones and some not so great ones.”
“Hopefully you’re going to be a great one,” Trump told Mamdani, patting him on the back. “And you’re off to a start.”
The visit marked the latest friendly interaction between the Republican president and the democratic socialist mayor. Despite their stark political differences, Trump and Mamdani have developed an unexpectedly cordial relationship while seeking areas where they can work together for the city they both call home.
As leaders from around the world arrived in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Trump and Mamdani appeared together on the lawn of the custard-yellow mansion in Manhattan.
“I have a lot of meetings right now, very important meetings with heads of different countries, but this is like a little bit of old home week for me,” Trump said. He added that “we’ve done so many things from the beautiful home or house or building standing right behind me.”
The two leaders said they discussed a possible housing development in Queens and explored ways to make New York more affordable for working-class residents.
Trump and Mamdani have met at least two times before and appear to remain in contact, although Mamdani has offered few details about his continuing conversations with the president.
The politically polarizing pair first met in the Oval Office shortly after Mamdani won the election last year. Their unexpectedly amicable discussion focused on ways to assist their shared hometown, following months of public criticism and verbal sparring.
In February, Mamdani made another brief trip to Washington, where he gave Trump a mock New York Daily News front page bearing the headline, “Trump to City: Let’s Build.” The presentation accompanied his appeal for new housing investment in New York.
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As they had following their first Oval Office meeting, Trump and Mamdani stood together while acknowledging their differences on politics and policy.
Mamdani was also questioned about Trump’s decision to exclude certain news organizations from the White House. The mayor said those networks, along with other outlets, should have been allowed to attend the Gracie Mansion event. Trump defended the restrictions, arguing that the organizations’ coverage was biased.
“It’s interesting because they said they were gonna boycott me. But they never boycott me,” Trump said. He added, “I think that these outlets have an obligation to be fair.”
Trump’s earlier visits to Gracie Mansion included attending former Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s wedding in 2003 and a 2007 book party for former Democratic U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel.
After Trump departed, Mamdani returned to the lawn to take additional questions. He acknowledged that he and the president remain sharply divided on many issues but said their working relationship has continued.
“I will continue to have conversations with the president, and frankly, anyone who can deliver relief to the people of this city,” Mamdani said.
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Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi contributed to this report from Providence, Rhode Island.
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