Peace Talk? Trump to Soon Meet Mamdani to 'Work Something Out'

US President Donald Trump has hinted that he may soon meet with New York City's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, despite their ongoing policy clashes.

Speaking to a reporter on Sunday, Trump said Mamdani 'would like to meet with us' and added 'we'll work something out', showing willingness to engage with the 34-year-old democratic socialist.

Mamdani, who won the NYC mayoral race earlier this month, confirmed that his team reached out to the White House.

Is Trump Extending an Olive Branch to Mamdani?

According to The Guardian, Mamdani told reporters that the outreach reflects the promise he made during his campaign: to engage with all stakeholders for the benefit of New Yorkers.

He explained that the meeting could help tackle urgent issues, particularly housing affordability, which he described as 'pushing so many [residents] out of the city'.

Mamdani emphasised that his goal is pragmatic cooperation, saying, 'I will be proactive in the work that I do... it is important that you are open to working with anyone, no matter what disagreements you may have'.

The mayor-elect also stated he would advocate for New Yorkers' interests directly to the President.

Despite reports that Trump is considering giving Mamdani difficulty in getting his security clearance, the US president is open to meeting the new mayor soon. 'Work something out' means something positive for Mamdani, which could refer to setting aside their differences for New Yorkers.

Trump Admin's Political Feud With Mamdani

The potentially 'positive' meeting comes after a contentious election campaign that put Mamdani under Trump's radar.

The US president repeatedly criticised Mamdani, labeling him a 'communist lunatic' and threatening to withdraw federal funding if he won.

At one point, the president even suggested the possibility of stripping Mamdani, a naturalised US citizen born in Uganda, of his citizenship. This claim was condemned by the New York mayor, calling it an 'attack on our democracy'.

During campaign and even after winning the race, Trump has been vocally endorsing Mamdani's rival. Recently, Wall Street billionaires secretly met with the president to back and fund a Republican candidate for the gubernatorial race, in hopes of blocking Mamdani's wealth tax.

Besides Trump, his allies, like Elon Musk, and Netanyahu, were publicly spewing disapproval of the mayor's policies and ideologies.

However, despite these attacks, Mamdani has maintained that he is willing to engage constructively. He stressed that any interaction with Trump must serve the city, noting 'Wherever there is a possibility for working together... I'm ready, and if it's to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight it'.

Throughout the mayoral race, Mamdani was vocal about Trump's policies, particularly immigration enforcement and federal funding priorities. With the intense ICE crackdown on immigrants, Mamdani made an enemy of Trump. During his victory speech, he framed New York as a model of resistance to the current administration, 'If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him'.

Mamdani will be sworn in as New York City's 111th mayor on 1 January 2026. A meeting with Trump would give the administration a rare moment of bipartisan dialogue, especially as more residents are being affected by housing, infrastructure, and social policies.