Trump and NYC Mayor Mamdani Hold Third Meeting at Gracie Mansion

US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani held a closed-door meeting lasting about an hour at Gracie Mansion. This marked their third meeting and the first to take place on Mamdani's home turf. The visit was also the first by a sitting US president to the mayor's official residence since Ronald Reagan's visit in 1981.

Speaking at a joint press conference on the mansion's lawn afterward, Trump offered high praise. "I've seen many mayors here—some excellent and some not so excellent," he said. "So I hope you'll be one of the exceptional ones. I can say you're going to be an excellent mayor, and you're already off to a great start."

Mamdani returned the compliment, emphasizing a shared commitment to the city's residents. "We appreciate the president's commitment to the city," he said. "The president shared many of his memories of Gracie Mansion and this lawn today, and we appreciated discussing how we can work together to lower the cost of living for New Yorkers."

The practical focus of the meeting centered on the Sunnyside Yard development project in Queens. Mamdani aims to construct approximately 12,000 housing units and create thousands of jobs above the rail yards. Trump, familiar with the area from his days as a real estate developer, appeared open to the concept while noting the need for federal approvals and potential funding.

Despite their ongoing ideological differences on immigration, taxation, and media policy, the unusual working relationship between the two leaders has persisted since their first encounter at the White House in November 2025.