In a move that signals a pragmatic approach to a fraught political relationship, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced he will not wait for a crisis to connect with the White House. In an exclusive sit-down with NBC New York, Mamdani revealed his intention to personally call President Donald Trump before taking office, aiming to establish a line of communication he calls “critical to the success of the city.”
The announcement comes amidst a backdrop of stark warnings from the Trump administration, including threats to “flood the zone” with ICE agents and cut federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities like New York. Rather than retreat, Mamdani is choosing to engage.
“I will be proactive,” Mamdani stated firmly during the interview at the Mokafe Coffee Shop in Astoria. He described a strategy focused on dissuading the federal government from deploying extreme measures like inundating the city with ICE agents or National Guard troops. “I will be reaching out to the White House as we prepare to actually take office because this is a relationship that will be critical.”
This proactive stance is rooted in the incoming mayor’s belief that his responsibility is to protect all New Yorkers from potential harm. He framed the upcoming conversation as a necessary step to collaborate with adversaries before it’s too late to avoid consequences. Mamdani confirmed he is already in discussions with New York Governor Kathy Hochul on how to jointly respond to these federal threats, emphasizing the importance of working to “prevent that kind of pressure.”
When asked what he plans to say to the president, Mamdani previewed a message of principled openness mixed with resolve. “I’ll say that I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone who calls the city home and that wherever there is a possibility for working together towards that end, I’m ready,” the Democrat said. “And if it’s to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight it.”
The political dynamic is uniquely charged. President Trump, who openly urged New Yorkers to vote for Andrew Cuomo, has sent conflicting signals about the Mamdani administration. He has veered from offering a tepid “will help him a little bit, maybe” to outright threatening the city’s funding. The recent comments from Border Czar Tom Homan, vowing to “make New York safer, with or without Mamdani,” underscore the challenges that await.
Amidst the federal focus, Mamdani also touched on the local transition of power. He acknowledged receiving a congratulatory call from outgoing Mayor Eric Adams and revealed the two have plans to meet at City Hall upon Adams’ return from an upcoming trip to Israel. When questioned if the Israel visit, partly to discuss fighting antisemitism, was a subtle provocation, Mamdani offered a diplomatic, if dismissive, response: “I think the mayor is free to spend his remaining days and months in office as he pleases.”
As he prepares to lead the nation’s largest city, Mamdani’s decision to pick up the phone sets an early tone for his mayoralty: one of strategic engagement, ready for collaboration but unwavering in its commitment to defend the city he is about to lead.
