Gracie Mansion meeting: Zohran Mamdani hosts Donald Trump in New York as UN General Assembly week begins

President Donald Trump met New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion on Monday, September 21, as the president arrived in the city ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.

President Trump visits Gracie Mansion

The meeting, held at the mayor’s official residence in Manhattan, was the third face-to-face meeting between Trump and Mamdani and the first to take place in New York City. Their previous meetings were held at the White House, including one in November 2025 and another in February.

Mamdani’s office said ahead of the meeting that the discussion would focus on “issues affecting New York City and New Yorkers”. The meeting was closed to the press, with Mamdani scheduled to speak to reporters afterwards.

Trump was in New York for the UN General Assembly, where he is due to address world leaders on Tuesday. The timing brought the two leaders together as the city prepares for a week of high-level diplomatic meetings and heightened security.

Discussion about housing and federal funding

Housing and federal support have been central to the conversations between Trump and Mamdani since their first meeting.

During his February visit to Washington, Mamdani raised the proposed redevelopment of Sunnyside Yard in Queens, a long-discussed project that could create thousands of homes over the existing rail yard. The mayor has said the project could deliver more than 10,000 homes and 30,000 jobs, although it would require significant investment and remains under discussion.

The issue was expected to remain relevant as Mamdani seeks federal support for New York’s housing needs.

Their relationship has drawn attention because of their sharply different political positions. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, campaigned against Trump, while the president has repeatedly criticised Mamdani and his policies. Yet their meetings since the 2025 mayoral election have generally included discussions about areas where they could work together.

Trump has previously said the two share an interest in seeing New York succeed. Mamdani, meanwhile, has said his conversations with the president are centred on delivering for New Yorkers.

Monday’s meeting therefore placed a familiar question back in focus: whether their direct relationship can produce concrete federal support for the city while their political disagreements remain unresolved. The mayor’s office had not announced specific agreements before the meeting.