Zohran Mamdani said he had a “productive meeting” with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday (26 February), where the two leaders discussed housing policy and the federal immigration enforcement operation.
The meeting marked the second time the men had met in person since Mamdani won the mayoral election late last year. Mamdani, a Democrat and self-proclaimed democratic socialist, and Trump, a Republican, have frequently criticized each other’s policy stances, although they have maintained open lines of communication.
“Had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon. Looking forward to building another home in New York,” Mamdani wrote on X, posting a photo of the two together.
Housing with a central focus
According to the mayor, housing development was a key topic of the meeting. Mamdani has made expanding affordable housing a central priority of his administration and has signaled optimism about possible federal cooperation.
“I look forward to building more housing in New York,” he reiterated in his post on social media.
While no formal agreements were immediately announced, the tone of Mamdani’s remarks suggested a willingness on both sides to find common ground on housing supply and development.
Concerns about immigration enforcement
Mamdani also said he raised concerns about the detention of a Columbia University student by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier on Thursday.
According to the mayor, he addressed the matter directly with Trump during their meeting. Mamdani said the president later informed him that the student would be “released soon.”
The White House did not release further details about the detention or the reported decision to release the student.
From criticism to cordiality
Although the two men have sharply different political views of the world, their interactions have at times defied expectations. Their first meeting in November was described as unexpectedly friendly, despite their long-standing public disagreements.
Trump mentioned Mamdani during his State of the Union address to Congress on February 24, prompting a mixed tone.
“The new communist mayor of New York, I think he’s actually a nice guy,” Trump said. “I talk to him a lot. Bad politics, but a nice guy.”
