In potential detente, Trump says planning to meet with Mamdani to ‘work something out’

US President Donald Trump indicates that he plans to meet with New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and says they’ll “work something out,” in what could be a detente for the Republican president and Democratic political star who have cast each other as political foils.

Trump has for months slammed Mamdani, falsely labeling him as a “communist” and predicting the ruin of his hometown, New York, if the democratic socialist were elected. He also threatened to deport Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a naturalized American citizen, and to pull federal money from the city.

In his election night victory speech, Mamdani said he wanted New York to show the country how to defeat the president. But the day after, while speaking about his plans for “Trump-proofing” New York once he takes office in January, the incoming mayor also said he was willing to work with anyone, including the president, if it can help New Yorkers.

Representatives for Mamdani do not have an immediate comment on the president’s remarks, but a spokesperson points to the mayor-elect’s remarks last week when he said he planned to reach out to the White House “because this is a relationship that will be critical to the success of the city.”

Trump expresses a similar sentiment.

“The mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us. We’ll work something out,” Trump tells reporters as he prepares to fly back to Washington after spending the weekend in Florida.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarifies shortly after that Trump was referring to Mamdani and says no date had been set for such a meeting.

“We want to see everything work out well for New York,” Trump says.