Trump Meets With Mamdani at Gracie Mansion, Advances Talks on Massive NYC Housing Project
President Trump met with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion on Monday, continuing an unexpectedly cordial relationship between two politicians who remain sharply divided on a number of major issues.
The meeting lasted roughly an hour before Trump and Mamdani appeared together before reporters. It marked their third face-to-face meeting since Mamdani’s election and came as President Trump was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
A major focus of the discussion was Mamdani’s proposal to transform Sunnyside Yard in Queens into a massive new neighborhood containing approximately 12,000 homes. The project would be built over the sprawling rail yard and could also create an estimated 30,000 jobs.
Mamdani is seeking substantial federal involvement because the project would require federal approvals and potentially billions of dollars in federal support. Trump said the development would likely need both federal approvals and money and suggested the proposal has a chance of moving forward.
Following the meeting, Mamdani announced that City Hall and the White House had agreed to elevate their discussions. Housing and operations officials from both administrations will now hold more detailed technical talks about the Sunnyside Yard proposal, although President Trump has not committed federal funding to the project.
Immigration was another subject discussed during the meeting. Mamdani has repeatedly opposed significant portions of President Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda, but the two have maintained communication despite those disagreements.
President Trump offered positive words about Mamdani following their private conversation, saying the mayor has an opportunity to become a “great mayor.” Trump said he wants New York City to succeed and indicated that he remains willing to work with Mamdani where their priorities overlap.
Mamdani similarly characterized the meeting as productive. He has said that his political disagreements with President Trump will not prevent him from working with the federal government when he believes cooperation could benefit New Yorkers.
The relationship represents a significant change from the hostility that surrounded Mamdani’s rise to City Hall. Trump and Mamdani traded sharp criticism before their first meeting, but their interactions since then have centered increasingly on areas where the federal government and New York City could potentially cooperate.
Monday’s meeting did not produce a federal funding commitment for Sunnyside Yard, but it moved discussions into a more detailed phase between the two administrations. The proposed development remains uncertain, but the White House and City Hall will now continue talks over whether one of New York City’s largest potential housing projects can move forward.