New York Metropolis mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump met for a second time Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C. — and it appears just like the president’s unlikely affection for Mamdani hasn’t abated.
The mayor confirmed the sit-down with the president on social media, sharing a photograph of the 2 of them within the Oval Workplace with Trump smiling broadly.
Within the photograph, which appears closely filtered, the president holds a pair of Every day Information entrance pages. One is the enduring “Ford to Metropolis: Drop Useless” headline from 1975, referring to President Gerald Ford’s vow to veto any federal bailout of New York Metropolis. The opposite is a pretend cowl that includes Trump that reads “Trump to Metropolis: Let’s Construct.” The Trump-themed entrance web page contains further textual content hinting on the theme of the day’s assembly, together with “Backs New Period of Housing” and “Trump Delivers 12,000+ Properties, Most Since 1973.” Mamdani’s workplace confirmed that the mayor pitched a housing mission with 12,000 models to Trump and that it was Mamdani and his workforce who introduced the newspaper mock-ups to the assembly.
Mamdani mentioned he additionally raised the matter of Elmina Aghayeva, the Columbia College pupil who was arrested by Homeland Safety brokers in her college residence early Thursday morning. “Simply obtained off the cellphone with President Trump,” Mamdani posted later on Thursday. “In our assembly earlier, I shared my considerations about Columbia pupil Elmina Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE this morning,” he mentioned. “He has simply knowledgeable me that she will probably be launched imminently.” Aghayeva was certainly freed shortly after his announcement. The Related Press experiences that Mamdani sought the administration’s assist with different federal immigration instances involving college students and offered Trump’s chief of employees, Susie Wiles, with an inventory that included Mahmoud Khalil, Mohsen Mahdawi, Yunseo Chung, and Leqaa Kordia, who remains to be at the moment being detained.
Mamdani’s assembly with Trump was not included on the mayor’s public schedule, which is revealed every day. The New York Put up first reported that Mamdani was touring to Washington, D.C., and was noticed on a Delta flight, and the mayor’s workplace later confirmed his journey.
The 2 leaders first met in November for a extremely anticipated Oval Workplace go to that many observers mentioned would mark the primary main political take a look at for the then-incoming mayor. Whereas Trump had lengthy railed towards Mamdani and actively boosted his opponent through the election, the president appeared gained over by him and expressed hope about their future collaboration. “I really feel very assured that he can do an excellent job,” the president mentioned on the time.
Trump even snuck in some Mamdani reward this week throughout his traditionally long-winded State of the Union handle Tuesday night time as he referenced the mayor’s use of emergency snow shovelers through the current blizzard. “Even the brand new communist mayor of New York Metropolis — I feel he’s a pleasant man really, communicate to him so much. Unhealthy coverage, however good man,” he mentioned.
