New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will walk into the Oval Office on Friday for his first face-to-face with President Donald Trump — a meeting that has stunned political insiders given the president’s relentless attacks on him throughout the mayoral race.
Trump has repeatedly branded Mamdani “my little communist mayor”, threatened to cut off federal funding, and even suggested deporting him. But the incoming mayor insists he’s unfazed and determined to confront the city’s spiraling affordability crisis directly with the president.
Speaking to reporters in City Hall Park on Thursday, Mamdani said he requested the White House sit-down to discuss what he calls his top priorities: public safety, affordability, and the economy — the very issues he says pushed many New Yorkers to vote for Trump last year.
“They wanted a leader who would take on the cost-of-living crisis,” Mamdani said. “This meeting is about the people I represent.”
When asked if he planned to bring up the president’s threats of increased immigration enforcement in New York, Mamdani attempted to pivot back to his affordability argument.
“I think affordability was at the core of our campaign, and also it was affordability based on the value of protecting each and every New Yorker,” he said. “That means protecting them from price gouging in their lives, but it also means protecting them from ICE agents and making it clear that I will look to representing every single person.”
Trump Fires First Shot on Truth Social
True to form, Trump couldn’t resist taking a swipe ahead of the visit. In a Wednesday post on Truth Social, he wrote:
“Communist Mayor of New York City, Zohran ‘Kwame’ Mamdani, has asked for a meeting. We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st.”
Trump savaged Mamdani throughout the campaign’s final stretch, even endorsing independent candidate and former governor Andrew Cuomo. Just days before the election, Trump warned on Truth Social that Mamdani would turn New York into a “Complete and Total Economic and Social Disaster.”
👉 In Focus: Zohran Mamdani Net Worth 2025: The Rent-Stabilized Mayor Challenging New York’s Billionaire Class 👈
A Frosty Relationship From the Start
Mamdani hasn’t held back either. On election night, he declared that if any city could show the country how to defeat Trump, “it is the same city that gave rise to him.” He later labeled the president a “despot” and vowed to dismantle the conditions that allowed Trump to rise to power.
But on Thursday, the incoming mayor struck a more diplomatic tone.
“It’s not about myself,” he insisted. “It’s about the relationship between New York City and the White House.”
Whether that détente survives Friday’s meeting is another matter.
Tensions Rise Over Immigration Crackdown
One topic Mamdani dodged: a planned surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations across New York City.
Tom Homan, Trump’s hardline border czar, told Fox News this week:
“We’re going to do operations in New York City.”
He linked the crackdown to “public-safety threats” he claims stem from the city’s sanctuary policies. While Mamdani didn’t confirm whether ICE will be on his agenda, he said the city’s affordability crisis “also means protecting [New Yorkers] from ICE agents.”
Affordability at the Heart of the Conflict
Mamdani has made cost-of-living issues the cornerstone of his transition — promising to fight price-gouging, housing instability and wage stagnation. He argues immigration raids only worsen the crisis for vulnerable families.
“Affordability was the core of our campaign,” he said. “Protecting each and every New Yorker means protecting them from price-gouging — and from ICE.”
Whether that argument will land in the Oval Office remains to be seen.
Can Trump Really Cut Funding or Deport a Mayor?
A quick plain-English breakdown of what is and isn’t legally possible:
Can a president “deport” a U.S. citizen?
No.
Deportation laws apply only to non-citizens. U.S. citizens cannot be deported under any circumstances. Trump’s threats fall into political rhetoric, not legal reality.
Can the White House strip New York City of federal funding?
Only partially — and with limits.
Presidents cannot unilaterally pull most federal funds. Congress controls appropriations. Agencies can restrict some grants tied to specific conditions (e.g., immigration cooperation), but sweeping cuts would immediately spark lawsuits and likely be blocked by federal courts.
Can ICE escalate enforcement in NYC even if the city objects?
Yes.
Federal immigration enforcement does not require local approval. While New York’s sanctuary policies prevent local agencies from assisting ICE in certain ways, they cannot stop ICE from conducting its own operations.
Could Mamdani challenge increased ICE activity?
Possibly — but indirectly.
The mayor cannot block federal agents, but the city can challenge certain policies in court or expand legal defense funds for residents targeted by ICE.
