Trump and Mamdani discuss Queens housing project, NYC affordability at Gracie Mansion

President Donald Trumps trip to New York for a speech at the United Nations started Monday with a detour to Gracie Mansion for an hourlong chat and a trip down memory lane with Mayor Zohran MamdaniThe president appearing with Mamdani after their meeting reminisced about his previous visits to the official residence of the citys mayors and recalled great ones and some not so great ones who have led the city in the pastHopefully youre going to be a great one he said giving Mamdani a pat on the back And youre off to a startThe meeting was the latest cordial encounter between the Republican president and a democratic socialist mayor who have struck up a surprisingly warm relationship despite their lack of political overlap and have tried to find common ground in helping the city they both loveWith scores of world leaders arriving in the city for the United Nations General Assembly Trump stood beside Mamdani on the lawn of the custardyellow mayoral mansion in ManhattanI have a lot of meetings right now very important meetings with heads of different countries but this is like a little bit of old home week for me Trump said adding Weve done so many things from the beautiful home or house or building standing right behind meTrump and Mamdani told reporters they discussed a potential housing project in the borough of Queens and how to make New York more affordable for the working classThey have met at least twice previously and have appeared to maintain some level of contact with one another though the mayor stays tightlipped about any ongoing conversations with the presidentThe pair of polarising leaders first gathered in the Oval Office shortly after Mamdanis election victory last year for a surprisingly cordial confab that centred on ways to help their shared hometown a detente that came after months of verbal sparringA few months later in February Mamdani again took a quick jaunt to Washington to present Trump with a mock New York Daily News front page that said Trump to City Lets Build as he pitched new housing investments in the cityAs they did after their first Oval Office meeting Trump and Mamdani acknowledged their political and policy differences while standing side by sideMamdani was asked about Trumps decision to bar certain news outlets from the White House with the mayor saying it was important that those networks and others be present for the Gracie Mansion eventTrump then defended his restrictions on the news organisations whose coverage he called biasedIts interesting because they said they were gonna boycott me But they never boycott me the president said before adding I think that these outlets have an obligation to be fairTrumps previous visits to Gracie Mansion included attending the 2003 wedding of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and a 2007 book party for former Democratic US Rep Charles RangelAfter Trump left Mamdani returned to the lawn to answer a few more questions telling reporters that he and the president have sharp disagreements but that the relationship has endured neverthelessI will continue to have conversations with the president and frankly anyone who can deliver relief to the people of this city Mamdani saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever