Trump says he will meet Zohran Mamdani at White House on Friday

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said he will meet New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House on Friday in what would be the first meeting of the Republican leader with the democratic socialist who won this month's mayoral election.

Mamdani and Trump have been critical of each other, with Trump having backed Mamdani's opponent, Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani, for his part, has been critical of the Trump administration's policies, including its crackdown on immigration and on protests against U.S. support for Israel during the Gaza war.

"We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st," Trump said on social media on Wednesday.

Mamdani told reporters earlier this week that his team had reached out to the White House to arrange a meeting.

"My team reached out to the White House to fulfill a commitment I made to New Yorkers over the course of this campaign," Mamdani said on Monday.

Mamdani's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's post on Wednesday.

Trump has repeatedly turned the powers of the presidency on political rivals. During the New York City mayoral election campaign, Trump threatened to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding from the city if Mamdani won.

Mamdani made countering the 79-year-old Republican president's actions in the city - especially on immigration - a centerpiece of his successful campaign.

Mamdani will be sworn in as New York City mayor on January 1, 2026. REUTERS