WASHINGTON, United States, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - New York Mayor Zohran 
Mamdani met President Donald Trump on Thursday to urge him to release $21 
billion in federal grants to build 12,000 affordable housing units and 
infrastructure.

Mamdani posted an image of himself at the White House presenting Trump with a 
mock newspaper front-page that read: "Trump to city: Let's build".

The meeting between the two men was not announced in advance.

The amount includes funding for affordable housing units and infrastructure 
in a Queens neighborhood, including parks, schools and health centers, 
according to a statement from Mamdani's office.

"The proposal represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to confront the 
city's housing crisis at the scale it demands," the statement said.

"If realized, the project would mark the largest housing and infrastructure 
investment in New York City in more than 50 years."

The Republican leader, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticized 
Mamdani, but the pair held surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in 
November.

"I had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon," Mamdani 
wrote in a post on X after Thursday's talks.

"I'm looking forward to building more housing in New York City."

They agreed to continue talks over the project and its funding "in the weeks 
ahead."

Following the meeting, Mamdani said Trump had also agreed to the release of a 
Columbia University student detained by federal immigration agents earlier in 
the day.