President Donald Trump offered rare praise for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, saying the Democratic socialist has “great potential” despite their sharp political differences.
Trump Praises Mamdani
On Monday, Trump and Mamdani met at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City’s mayor, before holding a news conference ahead of Tuesday’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Asked about Mamdani, the President said he hoped the mayor would succeed.
“No, I certainly hope he will be a great mayor,” Trump said. “You have to understand — I want what’s good for New York. I want what’s good for the country.”
He added, “So, if I had a choice of having him be a bad mayor or horrible mayor, I don’t want that. I want him to be a great mayor, and he’s certainly got potential. Got great potential.”
Trump and Mamdani Meet at Gracie Mansion
Earlier Monday, in a Truth Social post, Trump described Gracie Mansion as one of his “favorite places in the World.”
He said he spent “lots of hours there over the years” with several New York mayors. “It will be interesting to see how it looks now, invited by Mayor Mamdani.”
Trump also said he was looking “forward” to the visit and added, “MAKE NEW YORK CITY GREAT AGAIN!”
Housing Talks and Political Reaction
Political advisor Margo Martin said Trump and Mamdani discussed the possibility of building more housing in New York City, noting that Trump had “built quite a lot of housing here in our city.”
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said, “Trump wants Mamdani to be a great mayor,” while criticizing one of Trump’s most loyal allies, Laura Loomer, saying, “with Trump loyalty only goes one way.”
Trump’s Past Criticism Of Mamdani
In August, Trump said his administration was examining whether the federal government could challenge Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax, calling it a “dangerous political ‘experiment.’”
Trump said he was “looking to see if the Federal Government has any legal right to avert this disaster.”
Earlier this year, Mamdani presented Trump with a mock newspaper front page reading “Trump to City: Let’s Build” while seeking support for more housing in New York City.
Last year, Trump called Mamdani a “self-proclaimed New York City Communist” and threatened to withhold federal funding if he was elected.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo: IAB Studio / Shutterstock
