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Progressive congresswoman says New York City’s mayor-elect has shown he is ‘willing to sit down with anybody and everybody’ and build bridges with president
Joe SommerladFriday 21 November 2025 11:36 GMTComments
CloseZohran Mamdani confirms Donald Trump meeting, says he will work with anyone to benefit New Yorkers
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said that Zohran Mamdani’s upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump is proof that the Big Apple’s mayor-elect is seeking to forge friendlier ties in the interests of realizing his ambitious policy agenda.
Mamdani, 34, will meet Trump in person for the first time at the White House on Friday. The young progressive secured a resounding win over independent Andrew Cuomo earlier this month on an affordability platform for New York City needed to be more affordable for residents.
Trump repeatedly accused the self-described democratic socialist of being a “100% Communist Lunatic” and threatened to withdraw all federal funding for New York if the Queens assemblyman was elected.
open image in galleryNew York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House Friday (Getty)Asked what she expected to come from their sitdown by a reporter on Capitol Hill Thursday, AOC answered: “We’ll see. Obviously, the mayor-elect is going to be preparing for his inauguration. Of course, he’s indicated that he’s willing to sit down with anybody and everybody. So we’ll see.”
Pressed on whether she had any particular issues she would like to see raised, the representative said, “I think we let Zohran lead. He’s been elected to lead New York City. I trust him as the mayor-elect, he’ll do what he thinks is best for the city of New York. We’ll see how it goes.”
How Mamdani and Cuomo would deal with the president was a regular point of contention at the mayoral debates, with the former saying at one: “If you think it’s time to have a Democratic Party that actually stands up to Donald Trump and his billionaire-backed donors, then vote for me.”
In his acceptance speech, the mayor-elect addressed Trump directly and declared: “To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us.”
The president took exception to the line, saying afterwards that Mamdani had been “angry toward me” and that his remark was “very dangerous.”
open image in galleryNew York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a rally in support of Mamdani at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens on October 26, 2025 (Getty)How Friday’s meeting will play out remains to be seen. Still, the president struck a noticeably hostile tone when he announced it on Truth Social Wednesday, writing: “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. Further details to follow!”
Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, and Trump appeared to be drawing attention to his African middle name as a negative, just as he customarily refers to the 44th president as Barack “Hussein” Obama.
Speaking to MS NOW’s Chris Hayes on Wednesday, Mamdani himself was asked about his meeting with the president and said: “I want to just speak plainly to the president about what it means to actually stand up for New Yorkers and the way in which New Yorkers are struggling to afford this city.
“Frankly, cost of living is something that I heard time and time again from New Yorkers about why they voted for Donald Trump… This is something that has only continued in the last few months of this year, where we’re hearing about childcare concerns, rent concerns, Con Ed concerns, even just getting on the bus, just $2.90.”
Mamdani said he ultimately wanted “to make it clear to the president that this is what we’re talking about. These are the stakes for New Yorkers, and their ability to keep calling this city their home.”
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Zohran MamdaniDonald TrumpAlexandria Ocasio-CortezAndrew CuomoNew York CityCost of LivingJoin our commenting forum
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