Trump Says NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Has ‘Great Potential’
“He has great potential,” Trump said, adding that he wants Mamdani to be a “great mayor.”
US President Donald Trump said New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has “great potential” and that he wants him to be a “great mayor,” following a meeting between the two in New York on September 21.
Trump made the remarks at a press conference following the meeting with Mamdani, reflecting a markedly different tone from the sharp exchanges between the two politicians in the past.
“He has great potential,” Trump said, adding that he wants Mamdani to be a “great mayor.”
From Political Clashes to Face-to-Face Meetings
Trump had strongly criticised Mamdani during the New York City mayoral race, attacking his political ideology and policy agenda. He also threatened to restrict federal funding for New York City if Mamdani pursued policies that Trump argued would harm the city.
Mamdani, meanwhile, had been an outspoken critic of Trump, opposing several elements of the president’s agenda and pledging to challenge federal policies he believed would hurt New Yorkers.
Despite those differences, the two have increasingly engaged directly. Mamdani previously visited Trump at the White House, where the two held talks despite their earlier public disagreements.
Their latest meeting in New York was followed by a press conference at which Trump publicly expressed support for Mamdani’s success as mayor, marking a softer tone in their relationship despite continuing political differences.
Who Is Zohran Mamdani?
Mamdani is a Democratic socialist and former New York state lawmaker who rose to prominence with a political platform focused on affordability, housing, public transportation and working-class New Yorkers.
Born in Kampala, Uganda, in 1991, Mamdani moved to New York with his family as a child. He is the son of Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani and Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair.
Before becoming mayor, he represented Astoria, Queens, in the New York State Assembly.
