New York [US], November 21 : New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani stated his Friday meeting with President Trump will focus on the city's affordability crisis, calling it "an opportunity to make the case for New Yorkers."
The White House discussion is scheduled for 3 pm. Speaking at City Hall Park a day after the meeting was announced, Mamdani said he plans to highlight economic security and public safety. "I'll be ready for whatever happens," he said during Thursday's briefing.
He added that his team sought the meeting "because I will work with anyone to make life more affordable for the more than 8.5 million people who call this city home."
Despite policy differences, he stressed the need for engagement. "I have many disagreements with the president, and I believe that we should be relentless and pursue all avenues and all meetings that could make our city affordable for every single New Yorker," he said. "I intend to make it clear to President Trump that I will work with him on any agenda that benefits New Yorkers. If an agenda hurts New Yorkers, I will also be the first to say so."
Mamdani said voters across the five boroughs were driven by economic strain. "They wanted a leader who would take on the cost of living crisis that makes it impossible for working people to afford living in this city," he said. After the 2024 election, he said many in Queens and the Bronx told him "it was the affordability crisis, it was cost of living, cost of living, cost of living."
According to CBS News, Mamdani said both he and Trump campaigned on the same core concern. "We ran a campaign focused on the same thing: Cost of living. And what we found, actually, is that 1 in 10 New Yorkers who voted for Trump ended up voting for our campaign."
Asked about his outlook heading into the meeting, he told CBS News he sees it as a chance to reflect the realities residents face. "This is an opportunity to make the case for New Yorkers," he said, citing figures such as 1 in 4 residents in poverty and 1 in 5 struggling to afford the $2.90 bus fare.
When pressed about possible criticism from the president or lawmakers, Mamdani said, "Being a New Yorker means that you're prepared for all situations, all kinds of comments, all kinds of commentary. At the end of it, the focus has to be, what's the case that you're making, why are you there?"
CBS News also reported that establishing a working relationship could be important for federal assistance and for securing the security clearance needed for law enforcement and threat briefings.
Governor Kathy Hochul said common ground is possible, pointing to priorities such as the Gateway Tunnel, transit funding and avoiding National Guard deployment, adding that "crime is going down dramatically."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "It speaks volumes that tomorrow we have a communist coming to the White House, because that's who the Democrat party elected mayor of the largest city in the country." She added that the president "is willing to meet with anyone, and talk to anyone, and to try to do what's right on behalf of the American people."
Asked whether Mamdani might influence Trump's funding stance, Leavitt said, "We'll see how the meeting goes tomorrow, and I'll let for the president speak for himself."
Mamdani confirmed that NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch will remain in her post. He said leaders should advocate strongly for their departments and that disagreements "are actually signs of a healthy relationship." He added that officials should not be chosen for "the quickness with which they can say yes, as opposed to the quickness with which they can tell you their honest opinion."
As his transition continues, Mamdani has urged supporters to help raise $4 million for related expenses.