President Donald Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani held a joint news conference at Gracie Mansion on Monday, the first time in decades that a sitting president visited the mayor’s residence.
The two discussed Sunnyside Yards, temporary protected status for Haitian New Yorkers and press access, exchanging warm words despite months of public disagreement over policy.
And despite this public disagreement, the two Queens boys appear to have had a cordial conversation. Trump even praised the young mayor. “I certainly hope he becomes a great mayor. You have to understand, I want what’s good for New York. I want what’s good for the country,” he said.
“So if I had the choice to make him a bad mayor or a terrible mayor, I don’t want him to be. I want him to be a great mayor, and he certainly has potential, had great potential.”
The president, who stood next to Mamdani while the press and the two politicians stood in the garden of the Gracie Mansion, said he had been a guest at the famous house many times. “I’ve been to the Gracie Mansion, we’ve talked about it quite a bit over the years. And it kind of feels like home, and it’s a special place, a very special, a beautiful place when you walk in. And I’ve seen it with numerous different mayors.”
“And I said, some great and some not so great,” Trump continued before turning to Mamdani. “Hopefully you’ll be a great one. I can tell you’ll be a great one. And you’ve started it.”
Trump also recalled how he encouraged Mamdani to move into the mansion after his election, saying that Mamdani was hesitant because of the size: “Well, I can say, from my standpoint, I love New York, and this represents New York. This is where the mayor lived and continues to live. And we talked about it a long time ago when you were first elected. I said, ‘Well, you’re going to move,’ because maybe you had some doubts because it’s a little luxurious.” Trump said with a grin.
Housing in Queens
Mamdani and the president discussed Sunnyside Yards, a proposal to build over the Queens train station with 12,000 homes and 30,000 jobs, which the mayor’s office said would be needed more than $21 billion in federal grants. Mamdani said the two had a very productive conversation.
“What we’re talking about is something very rare in our city. It’s the opportunity to build a completely new neighborhood, and that too is only possible with a federal partnership,” he explained.
The Queens-born president didn’t say whether he would provide federal funding to the city, but said it would be absolutely costly without those funds.
“Sunnyside is a big job. I’ve been following this for 35 years,” he said, likely referring to the 1980s, when he owned the New Jersey Generals football team and considered building an arena in the area, then called the Trumpdome.
“The mayor brought this up – the possibility of building Sunnyside Yards,” he continued. “You’re going to need a lot of state permits and probably federal money to do that. But it’s always been a great location.”
Following the joint press conference, which also included remarks about TPS and the ban on several media outlets from the White House, the mayor answered additional questions about the conversation and what appears to be a developing relationship between the two.
“The president and I have both spoken very openly about the many differences that we have, and immigration is one of those areas,” Mamdani said. “We’ve both talked about very different approaches and very different beliefs, and I will continue to have conversations with the president and, frankly, with anyone who can provide assistance to the people of the city.”