New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, has said that he is willing to meet US President Donald Trump to discuss how they can work together to help New Yorkers. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (November 6), Mamdani said he wants to focus on reducing the city’s cost of living and improving lives for working-class residents.
He also pointed out that the White House has not congratulated him yet. “The White House hasn’t reached out to congratulate me,” Mamdani joked during the press briefing.
Despite that, he expressed readiness to engage with Trump. “I continue to be interested in having a conversation with President Trump on how we can work together to serve New Yorkers,” he said. He added that one possible area of cooperation could be “delivering on his campaign promises around cost of living.”
Focusing on Working-Class Issues
Zohran Mamdani said his goal as mayor is to make New York more affordable for ordinary people. His campaign promises include free city bus travel, rent control, and free childcare.
He also emphasized that his administration will aim to show results quickly. “I think the lesson for the president is that it’s not enough to diagnose the crisis in working-class Americans’ lives. You have to deliver on addressing that crisis,” he said.
According to Mamdani, his progressive agenda is making national Republicans uneasy. “What scares Republicans across the country is the fact that we will actually deliver on this agenda,” he added.
Introducing His Transition Team
During the briefing, Mamdani introduced five women who will co-chair his transition team. Among them are Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission under President Joe Biden, and Maria Torres-Springer, former deputy mayor under Eric Adams.
Torres-Springer resigned earlier this year, reportedly over Adams’ engagement with Trump. Mamdani’s appointments signal that his incoming administration will include several figures known for strong progressive and regulatory backgrounds.
Trump Calls Mamdani’s Speech ‘Angry’
Mamdani’s comments came after Trump reacted to the mayor-elect’s fiery victory speech earlier in the week. In that speech, Mamdani directly addressed the president, saying, “So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: turn the volume up.”
Trump later described the remarks as hostile. Speaking to Fox News, the president said, “I thought it was a very angry speech, certainly angry towards me. And I think he should be very nice to me. You know, I’m the one who sort of has to approve a lot of things coming to him. So he’s off to a bad start.”
Trump had previously warned that he might limit federal funding to New York if Mamdani won. But in a later speech in Miami, he hinted at helping Mamdani, saying he wanted New York to succeed.
