Mamdani reveals why he thinks he is Trump’s favourite Democrat mayor… regardless of president claiming he’s ‘destroying’ New York

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed why he thinks he has a good working relationship with President Donald Trump, despite their partisan differences.

Asked by Meet The Press moderator Kristen Welker about the relationship between the two, Mamdani said that it is ‘honest, it’s direct, and it’s productive.’

Despite Trump’s Republican ideology, and Mamdani’s Democratic Socialist views, the Mayor said that the two share a great common love for New York City.

Trump has had a series of public issues and spats with Democrat mayors and governors across the country – namely with Los Angeles‘s Karen Bass, Boston’s Michelle Wu, and Illinois‘s Governor Pritzker. 

Asked by Welker what he thinks sets him apart from other Democrats who have struggled to work with Trump, Mamdani said it’s their shared love for the Big Apple.

‘I think, to be honest with you, I’m lucky in that I have something that no one else does, which is that I’m from New York City,’ The Mayor noted.

‘And New York City holds a very special place for him, as well as for me. We’re both from this same city. And it means that our conversations are not just of the scale that is typical with the president, but also granular about even the things as specific as zoning law changes in Midtown Manhattan,’ he continued.

‘And that I think speaks to the fact that Donald Trump is not just the president of this country. He’s also someone who’s been a New Yorker for his entire life, and there is an investment in this city doing well,’ Mamdani concluded.

Meet The Press moderator Kristen Welker speaks with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in an interview that aired on Sunday, April 19

President Donald Trump and then- Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani shake hands as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, November 21, 2025

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on NBC’s Meet The Press in an interview that aired on Sunday, April 19th

Trump, however, attacked Mamdani last week and claimed that he was ‘destroying’ New York. 

In a Thursday evening post on Truth Social, Trump lashed out at the Mayor’s plans to levy additional taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, including a pied-à-terre tax on ‘non-primary’ residences or second homes.

‘Sadly, Mayor Mamdani is Destroying New York! It has no Chance! The United States of America should not contribute to its failure. It will only get Worse,’ Trump wrote.

‘The Tax, Tax, Tax policies are So Wrong. People are fleeing. They must change their ways, And Fast. History has proven, This ‘Stuff’ Just Doesn’t Work. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT,’ Trump concluded.

Speaking on the pied-à-terre tax in particular, Mamdani told Welker that it was ‘an incredible step.’

‘I think the final part of this budget process is to ensure that we’re balancing the budget at zero. And that continues to be the work that we do with Albany as well as right here in City Hall,’ Mamdani told Welker.

New York City is legally required to have a balanced budget every year, and Mamdani views the tax as a great way to hit that goal, while also keeping with his promises of ‘taxing the rich.’

Shortly after Mamdani’s election, however, Trump welcomed him into the Oval Office and the duo pledged to work together on issues facing New Yorkers, including housing, affordability, and public safety.

Trump also noted in that famed Oval Office meeting that he expected Mamdani to ‘surprise some conservative people,’ and even reportedly praised the socialist’s appearance, telling him that he was ‘even better-looking in person than … on TV,’ according to New York Magazine.

During Mamdani’s campaign, Trump branded him a ‘100% Communist Lunatic’, threatened him with deportation, and flirted openly with cutting federal funds to New York City. 

Mamdani marked 100 days in office on Friday, April 10, 2026, and held a rally with his supporters on Sunday, April 12, 2026, to commemorate the milestone.

Former President Barack Obama and Mayor Zohran Mamdani sing ‘Wheels on the Bus’ to children at Learning Through Play Pre-K in the Bronx in New York, Saturday, April 18, 2026

Former Democratic President Barack Obama and Mamdani visited a preschool together on Saturday to shed light on the work that the Mayor is doing to sell the idea of free childcare in the city.

A clip of the two speaking to children and even singing ‘Wheels on The Bus’ has circulated on social media since the meeting. 

Great spending time with New York City’s Cutest. And thanks to @NYCMayor for giving me an excuse to break out my best ‘Wheels on the Bus,’ Obama wrote on X to commemorate the meeting.