(AURN News) — President Donald Trump and New York City’s incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, met in the Oval Office on Friday in a conversation packed with symbolism and high stakes for America’s largest city.
The two leaders have spent months publicly clashing — with Trump labeling Mamdani a communist and warning about what he called New York’s declining direction. Despite the rhetoric, their meeting centered on urgent realities facing millions of New Yorkers: skyrocketing rents, rising homelessness, and persistent gaps in economic opportunity.
Observers say the discussion could set the tone for federal–city relations on issues such as public safety, affordability, and racial equity in urban America. Key questions remain about federal funding and the future of Mayor‑elect Mamdani’s ambitious agenda, which includes proposals ranging from fare‑free transit to stronger tenant protections.
While the meeting offered a chance to reset tensions, neither Trump nor Mamdani is expected to retreat from their core principles.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
