BSS
  20 Nov 2025, 08:26
Update : 20 Nov 2025, 08:59

Trump says will meet with New York mayor-elect Mamdani on Friday

WASHINGTON, Nov 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump said he will host New York's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani for a meeting Friday, after fiercely attacking the 34-year-old self-described Democratic Socialist during his recent campaign.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform the mayor-elect "asked for a meeting" and it "will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st."

Mamdani for his part did not immediately confirm the meeting.

Trump's meeting with Mamdani marks the coming together of two men raised in the Queens borough of New York, but their similarities may end there.

Virulently anti-immigrant Trump has derided Mamdani's South Asian name, and threatened to cut federal funding for New York upon the Muslim's election to run America's largest city.

"Mandami, whatever the hell his name is," Trump said recently -- deliberately mispronouncing the Uganda-born politician's surname.

Mamdani has not backed down from Trump, calling out the 79-year-old Republican during his victory rally earlier this month.

"Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you -- turn the volume up!" he said to his cheering supporters.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the president had indeed watched Mamdani speak.