President Trump and NYC Mayor Mamdani met for about an hour at Gracie Mansion during U.N. week, discussing affordable housing, the Sunnyside Yards project and city affordability.
President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met for roughly an hour at Gracie Mansion on Monday, using the opening day of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss affordable housing and the city's cost-of-living pressures despite their sharp political differences.
The meeting was the third face-to-face encounter between the two leaders in just under a year and the first to take place in New York City. Trump, who is in the city for the U.N. gathering, arrived at the mayor's official residence shortly before 4 p.m. and joined Mamdani for a joint press conference afterward.
Sunnyside Yards at the Center
Central to the discussion was the proposed redevelopment of Sunnyside Yards, an 180-acre rail yard in Queens. According to Mamdani's office, the project could create about 12,000 affordable housing units and 30,000 jobs, but it would require significant federal support to advance. Earlier reporting put the potential federal grant requirement at a minimum of $21 billion.
Trump did not commit to funding the project. He described it as a major undertaking that he has followed for decades.
"Sunnyside's a big job. I've been watching that for 35 years," Trump said. "It's a very federal-oriented job. It's always been a great location."
Mamdani said the two sides had elevated the conversation to include his housing team and the White House, though no specific commitments were announced.
A Cordial Exchange
Trump spoke fondly of Gracie Mansion, calling it one of his favorite places and recalling visits during previous administrations. He offered warm words for Mamdani, a democratic socialist whose policies he has frequently criticized.
"Hopefully you're going to be a great one," Trump said, patting Mamdani on the back. "You're off to a start."
Trump added that he wanted the mayor to succeed. "I want what's good for New York, I want what's good for the country," he said. "I want him to be a great mayor, and he certainly has potential."
Mamdani characterized the relationship as productive despite fundamental disagreements on immigration and other issues. "Each time the president and I speak, it is about the same topics: how to improve the lives of New Yorkers and how to use the power of government to take on the cost-of-living crisis," he said, adding that he would keep talking with the president and "anyone who can deliver relief to the people of this city."
Other Topics and a Press Dispute
The two also discussed temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants in New York and the city's police department. Asked about the president's recent ban on certain news organizations from the White House, Trump defended the decision, saying the press "has an obligation to be fair."
Presidential visits to Gracie Mansion are rare. Previous presidents who have done so include Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Trump had attended events there twice before, in 2003 and 2007, both hosted by then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The meeting came as New York City hosted a busy week of diplomacy surrounding the U.N. General Assembly, with heightened security and a crowded itinerary for the president. Governor Kathy Hochul said she had no plans to meet with Trump during his visit, noting that she remains in regular contact with him.
While both leaders described the talks as constructive, the encounter produced no publicly announced agreements, leaving the future of the Sunnyside Yards proposal and broader affordability measures unresolved.