Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani Hold Cordial Housing Talks at Gracie Mansion in New York

US President Donald Trump made a rare visit to Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the New York mayor, where he met with Zohran Mamdani to advance discussions on a major city housing initiative. Arriving by motorcade at the Upper East Side mansion ahead of the annual UN General Assembly, Mr Trump engaged in private talks with Mr Mamdani, marking another amicable interaction between political figures from opposing sides.

Reflecting on the location, Mr Trump told reporters, "I spent lots of hours there over the years, with some great mayors, some average mayors and some bad mayors." Housing dominated the agenda, with Mr Mamdani highlighting plans to develop Sunnyside Yard in Queens and announcing that operations and housing officials from City Hall and the White House would establish formal talks.

"What we're speaking about is 12,000 homes, 30,000 jobs, the prospect of an entire new neighbourhood, in a city where housing is the number one cost," stated Mr Mamdani, noting the project could become the city's largest housing development since the early 1970s. Mr Trump expressed warm sentiments toward the residence and Mr Mamdani, calling the visit "a little bit of old home week for me" and praising Gracie Mansion as a place that represents New York.

Despite past public criticisms of each other's policies, the two leaders have maintained a cordial relationship, following previous private meetings at the White House in November 2025 and February. During the appearance, Mr Trump also defended his administration's decision to restrict certain news organisations from the White House following a lawsuit filed on Monday by CNN, MS NOW and Politico. "If they're fake news, I really think I have an obligation not to allow them into another very special house," Mr Trump said.

The meeting with Mr Trump concluded a busy day of diplomacy for the New York Mayor, who earlier met with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the residence of Brazil's mission to the UN. Mr da Silva and Mr Mamdani discussed shared challenges such as the cost of living, with the Brazilian leader offering words of encouragement to the young mayor regarding the global struggle against poverty.