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New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is set to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday. The meeting comes after a series of public exchanges between the two, with Trump often criticizing Mamdani, labeling him a "communist" and threatening to deport him. Despite the tensions, Mamdani's transition team confirmed the meeting, stating it is customary for an incoming mayor to meet with the president.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who recently defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo, plans to discuss public safety, economic security, and the affordability agenda that was central to his campaign. According to ABC7NY, Mamdani's spokesperson, Dora Pekec, emphasized the importance of these discussions for over one million New Yorkers who voted for the agenda.
President Trump announced the meeting on social media, referring to Mamdani as the "Communist Mayor of New York City." Despite his previous opposition to Mamdani's election, Trump expressed a willingness to "work something out" for New York, as reported by Politico.
The meeting could signal a potential thaw in relations between the two political figures, who have been at odds since Mamdani's rise from a state lawmaker to a mayoral candidate. Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018, has been a vocal critic of Trump's policies but has stated his willingness to collaborate with the president if it benefits New Yorkers, according to The Guardian.
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