NEW YORK — US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met at Gracie Mansion on Monday, using the president’s visit to the city for the United Nations General Assembly to discuss housing, affordability and other issues affecting New Yorkers.
The encounter marked the third face-to-face meeting between the two men and the first to take place in New York. Their previous meetings were held at the White House, including one in February that focused in part on housing development.
Sunnyside Yards at the Center of Talks
Speaking after the meeting, Mamdani said the two leaders discussed ways to reduce the cost of living for city residents and expand housing construction. A central focus of the conversation was the proposed redevelopment of Sunnyside Yards in Queens, a major rail-yard project that the mayor said could create around 12,000 homes and 30,000 jobs.
Mamdani said City Hall and the White House had agreed to establish a new level of coordination between their housing and operations teams on the project.
Trump said Sunnyside Yards had been discussed for decades and would likely require federal approvals and funding. He added that a substantial portion of any development should include low- and moderate-income housing.
A Politically Charged Visit
The meeting took place at a politically significant moment, with Trump in New York for a series of diplomatic engagements surrounding the UN General Assembly. The president is scheduled to address the assembly on Tuesday and is expected to hold meetings with several foreign leaders during his visit.
At a news conference following the meeting, Trump said he hoped Mamdani would become a “great mayor,” despite the sharp political differences between the two men. Mamdani, for his part, said he would leave it to New Yorkers to judge his performance.
Exchange Over Press Access
Trump also addressed questions about restrictions on several news organizations’ access to the White House, saying he believed the outlets had an obligation to be fair. Mamdani said he supported having members of the press present at Gracie Mansion regardless of their opinions or criticism.
