President Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani met privately for about an hour on Monday at Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence in Manhattan. The meeting marked their third encounter, following two previous sessions at the White House, and both leaders described the tone as warm and respectful despite their stark ideological differences. Trump, a native New Yorker, called the visit a homecoming, while Mamdani, a democratic socialist, emphasized his willingness to work with anyone to help New Yorkers.

The joint news conference that followed revealed tensions. Trump criticized media outlets as “fake news,” defended his ban on CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from White House grounds, and characterized his 2024 victory as a landslide. Mamdani stood silently during these remarks, later stating he had ensured all media were allowed on the mansion lawn. He said he raised the administration’s immigration enforcement and the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, which he called harmful to the city’s economy.

Policy discussions focused on policing, immigration, and a proposed 12,000-unit affordable housing development atop Sunnyside Yard in Queens. The project, first discussed in February, would require significant federal funding. Both leaders said they agreed to take the plan to “the next level,” though practical details remain unclear. Trump acknowledged the project’s long history, calling it “a big job.”