(AFP) – New York’s incoming leftist mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was “ready for whatever happens” when he meets US President Donald Trump in Washington Friday, stressing their shared desire to tackle the cost of living. Trump has previously threatened to deport Uganda-born Mamdani and falsely calls him a communist, but New York’s mayor-elect said Thursday he would “work with anyone to make life more affordable” for residents of the country’s largest city.
The mayor-elect noted that tens of thousands of New Yorkers had voted for both Trump and Mamdani over the issue of cost of living, with rents and the cost of essentials higher there than in much of the United States. Democratic socialist Mamdani, elected earlier this month, has positioned himself as part of the resistance against a US president who has pushed the limits of his power, particularly targeting Democrat-run cities.
“It’s more critical than ever, given the national crisis of affordability, one that New Yorkers know very well… and the specific challenge many cities are facing in balancing public safety and steps taken by this administration,” Mamdani said. He noted that it was customary for a newly elected New York mayor to meet the US president, and that his staff had reached out to the White House to set up the meeting.
Mamdani said that he and Trump had “many disagreements” but that he would “pursue all avenues and meetings that can make our city affordable.” As the first mayoral candidate to surpass the one-million-vote mark in New York since 1969, Mamdani campaigned on pledges of affordable housing and childcare, as well as free rides on city buses and city-run grocery stores. Experts have questioned the financial feasibility of some of Mamdani’s pledges.
Anti-immigrant Trump has derided Mamdani’s South Asian name and threatened to cut federal funding for New York when the Muslim politician takes the reins of New York, which was Trump’s home for decades. Mamdani has not backed down from Trump, calling out the 79-year-old Republican during his victory rally earlier this month. White House meetings have been perilous affairs for leaders who have displeased Trump, with the US president notably attacking the presidents of Ukraine and South Africa during visits to the Oval Office.
© 2024 AFP
