NK MONITORING DESK
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said he will sit down with New York City’s incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, at the White House on Friday tomorrow — marking their first face-to-face encounter after a tense election season.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who won the mayoral race earlier this month, has often found himself at odds with Trump. The president publicly backed Mamdani’s rival, Andrew Cuomo, during the campaign, while Mamdani frequently criticised the Trump administration’s immigration actions and its handling of demonstrations against US support for Israel amid the Gaza conflict.
Trump revealed the scheduled meeting in a social media post on Wednesday, confirming that it would take place in the Oval Office on Friday, November 21.
Mamdani had already indicated earlier in the week that his team had contacted the White House to arrange talks. “We reached out because I made a promise to New Yorkers throughout this campaign, and I intend to honour it,” he said on Monday.
Mamdani’s transition office did not issue an immediate statement in response to Trump’s announcement.
The president has often used federal authority to pressure political rivals, and the New York mayoral contest was no exception. Throughout the race, Trump warned he could block billions in federal funding if Mamdani emerged victorious.
For Mamdani, pushing back against Trump’s policies — particularly on immigration — became one of the centrepieces of his campaign, helping fuel his rise to City Hall.
The mayor-elect is set to take office on January 1, 2026.
Read more: https://nayakashmir.com/trump-says-threat-of-massive-tariffs-averted-pakistan-india-nuclear-showdown/
