Mamdani, Trump discuss housing, affordability at Gracie Mansion meeting
Published in News & Features
NEW YORK — Mayor Mamdani and President Trump said Monday they’d advance a plan to build housing at Sunnyside Yards after meeting at Gracie Mansion, although they didn’t give any specific commitments.
Mamdani said they also spoke about “affordability,” the importance of the New York Police Department and the president’s decision to strip Temporary Protected Status from immigrants originating from countries including Haiti.
Trump traveled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. Besides the mayor and the president, their respective chiefs of staff, Elle Bisgaard-Church and Susie Wiles, were also present at the roughly hour-long meeting.
The two leaders reached an “agreement” on starting technical talks between White House and City Hall’s housing and operations teams, the mayor said while standing next to Trump on the lawn outside Gracie.
“We’ve been able to move forward what has been a longstanding dream about the construction of Sunnyside Yards,” Mamdani said. “We know we have a significant way to go, but these meetings do truly assist in that path.”
The housing plan, which Mamdani first pitched to Trump in a meeting earlier this year, involves constructing a massive platform over the railyard to build 12,000 units of housing, as well as parks, schools and other amenities. It would require federal sign-offs and carries a $21 billion ask in funding.
“When he mentioned Sunnyside Yards, they’re been talking about developing that for 50 years. So maybe they have a shot at doing it,” the president said, adding that he’d like to see an affordable housing component to the housing plan.
The meeting comes as the mayor and president have been publicly at odds over immigration — although Mamdani has been careful not to personally bash Trump as he’d spoken out against his actions. Mamdani has denounced the revocation of TPS for Haitians, and he sued the Trump administration last week over a new rule that would limit the issuance of green cards for those who’ve received public benefits.
“The president and I have both been very frank about the many disagreements that we have, and immigration is one of those places,” Mamdani said.
The two men have met twice before, both at the White House. Mamdani said he invited the president to meet at Gracie, as Trump had told him about his own memories visiting the Upper East Side residence: “I thought it would be a good location for a continuation of a conversation of how to deliver for the people who are being priced out of the city.”
For his part, Trump said the mansion “sort of feels like a home.” He also shared that Mamdani had previously expressed some doubts to him about moving into Gracie Mansion — a huge and historic pad with sweeping views of the East River — “because it is a little bit on the luxurious side.”
During last year’s mayoral campaign, Trump raged against Mamdani, calling him a “communist” and threatening to withhold funding for New York City. For his part, the democratic socialist promised to be the president’s “worst nightmare.” Trump backed ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s bid for mayor in the last days of the campaign.
But just days after Mamdani won the general election, the two had an extraordinarily friendly meeting at the White House.
Trump once again praised the 34-year-old mayor on Monday, telling Mamdani he’ll “be able to say you’re going to be a great [mayor], and you’re off to a start.”
Despite their friendly relationship, Trump has remained critical of many of Mamdani’s moves, as well.
“Sadly, Mayor Mamdani is DESTROYING New York! It has no chance!” the president wrote on TruthSocial in April.
Mamdani previously on Monday met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
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