President Donald Trump was welcomed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to Gracie Mansion on Monday, praising the Democrat as a “great mayor” after roughly ninety minutes of talks covering immigration and housing. The visit was the first time a sitting president has stepped inside the mayor’s official residence since Ronald Reagan met Ed Koch in 1981.
Donald Trump calls Zohran Mamdani ‘great mayor’
Trump told reporters he has visited Gracie Mansion many times over the decades, dating back to his career as a New York real estate developer. He recalled meeting a mix of mayors there. “I’ve seen it with numerous different mayors, and I said some great ones and some not so great ones. So hopefully you’re going to be a great one. I’ll be able to say you’re going to be a great one, and you’re off to a start,” Trump said. He also called the residence a “special place.”
Zohran Mamdani thanked Donald Trump for engaging with the city and said the two discussed ways to lower the cost of living for residents. “We appreciate the president’s commitment to the city,” the NYC Mayor said. “And today, you know, the president shared many of his memories of having been to Gracie Mansion before, having been out here, as well on the lawn.”
The talks happened as the Trump administration moves to strip deportation protections from roughly 350,000 Haitian migrants. Mamdani said he voiced strong views on keeping New Yorkers safe and stressed the value of immigrant residents, particularly Haitian New Yorkers, to the city’s economy. After Trump left, Mamdani told reporters he “made very clear” that legal status for Haitian migrants remains a priority for him and for the city.
The two also agreed to open a new channel between City Hall and the White House on Sunnyside Yard, a Queens project Mamdani likened to building an entirely new neighborhood. He said the plan could deliver “12,000 homes and 30,000 jobs.”
Moreover, Trump and Mamdani have built an unusual rapport since first meeting at the White House last November, despite past insults. They met again privately in February and have reportedly stayed in touch by text and phone.
