A far cry from denouncing the “radical left lunatic,” the president’s latest meeting with a big city bigwig found him optimistic about “great potential.”
As leaders from around the world descended on New York City for the United Nations General Assembly, so too did President Donald Trump embark on a trip to his old hometown for the jam-packed week. Kicking off the bevy of meetings, the chief executive went to Gracie Mansion, where he treated occupant New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) with a soft touch.
Following their meeting, the duo stood outside the residence, offering brief statements and fielding questions from the press. After Hizzoner offered appreciative remarks about working with the president to address affordability, Trump stepped to the microphone and nodded to previous city leaders before commenting on his hopes for Mamdani’s administration.
“… I’ve seen it with numerous different mayors. And I said some great ones and some not-so-great ones. So, hopefully you’re gonna be a great one — I’ll be able to say, you’re gonna be a great one, and you’re off to a start,” said the president. “So, I just want to thank the mayor for the invitation.”
.@POTUS at Gracie Mansion: “It’s a special place… I just want to thank the Mayor for the invitation.” pic.twitter.com/XQX1XgNDq7
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 21, 2026
After noting the many meetings on his schedule in the coming days, Trump went on, “But this is like a little bit of old home week for me ’cause so many things, we’ve done so many things from the beautiful home or house or building standing right behind me.”
In the brief time the pair fielded questions, none of which mentioned the mayor laughing with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) at the 9/11 memorial or Trump’s reaction, the chief executive was asked about his hopes for Mamdani given past criticisms of the socialist.
“I certainly hope he will be a great mayor. You have to understand, I want what’s good for New York,” explained the president. “I want what’s good for the country. So, if I had a choice of having him be a bad mayor or horrible mayor, I don’t want that. I want him to be a great mayor, and he’s certainly got potential, got great potential.”
.@POTUS on Mayor Mamdani: “I certainly hope he will be a great Mayor. You have to understand — I want what’s good for New York. I want what’s good for the country… I want him to be a great Mayor.” pic.twitter.com/HnpsK6NMRA
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 21, 2026
In the wake of the 2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary, Mamdani’s success was met with a warning from Trump about federal funding if the leftists followed through on his extreme agenda.
“He’s a communist. I think it’s very bad for New York,” the president said during an appearance on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.”
“I don’t know that he’s going to get in, it’s inconceivable that he is, but he’s a communist and he’s a pure communist. But let’s say this, if he does get in, I’m going to be president, and he’s going to have to do the right thing or they’re not getting any money. He’s got to do the right thing,” he said.
When then-Fox News host Maria Bartiromo brought up Mamdani’s expressed intent to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump replied, “Oh, he’s a radical left lunatic.”
Having previously met with Mamdani twice at the White House since his successful Gotham election, the president teased ahead of the get-together at Hizzoner’s residence how he’d “spent lots of hours” at Gracie Mansion over the years, “with some great Mayors, some average Mayors, and some bad Mayors. It will be interesting to see how it looks now, invited by Mayor Mamdani.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 21, 2026
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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