U.S. President Donald Trump is meeting New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House to discuss housing, food security, and other affordability issues facing the city.

Trump congratulated Mamdani on his election win and said they found “a lot more agreement than I would have thought,” adding that while Mamdani has “views that are a little out there,” he believes the mayor-elect will “surprise some conservatives.”

Crime, Immigration, and Past Remarks

Mamdani told reporters he raised concerns about federal immigration enforcement activities in the city, though Trump said their discussion was centred more on crime. “He doesn’t want to see crime and I don’t want to see crime,” Trump said, expressing confidence they would work well on that issue. 

Ideology, BBC Lawsuit Questions, and Shared Priorities

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, also dismissed concerns about the House resolution condemning the “horrors of socialism,” saying ideological disputes mattered less than the need to make New York affordable. Trump, asked about a reported plan to sue the BBC for up to $5 billion and whether he had spoken recently with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said he had not spoken to him this week but described Starmer as “a fine person” facing “energy and immigration issues” in the U.K.

Foreign Policy and Voter Influence

Both men said they discussed foreign policy, with Trump calling Hezbollah “a problem in Lebanon” and noting they agreed on the importance of Middle East peace. Mamdani added that many Trump voters he spoke with voiced concerns about the cost of living and “forever wars,” which shaped aspects of his campaign.

Exchanges Over Campaign Rhetoric

Mamdani also addressed past comments calling Trump a “despot,” saying the meeting focused on “shared purpose.” Trump brushed off the remark, saying, “I’ve been called much worse than a despot.” When asked whether he would stop Mamdani from attempting to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited New York, Trump dismissed the premise, reiterating that Mamdani’s views are “a little out there” but adding, “He’ll change. We all change,” again predicting the mayor-elect would “surprise some conservative people.”

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