Mamdani meets Trump in White House for second time, pitches housing plans with mock newspaper

Mayor Mamdani meets Trump to discuss housing investments and advocate for the release of detained Columbia student Ellie Aghayeva.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented U.S. President Donald Trump with a mock newspaper front page during a visit to the White House on Thursday (February 27, 2026) to discuss massive new housing investments in the city.

It's a tactic designed to appeal to Mr. Trump, who is keenly aware of his media coverage and, aside from being an avid viewer of cable news, is known to voraciously consume coverage in the local New York City publications. The Republican president and Democratic mayor have maintained a cordial relationship since their first meeting last fall.

Anna Bahr, Mamdani's communications director, said the mayor's team created a mock front page and headlines for Trump to look at and demonstrate what kind of reaction new federal housing investments could bring. The mock New York Daily News front page says “Trump to City: Let's Build” — a riff on the famous 1975 cover that read “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” referring to Gerald Ford's vow to veto financial assistance to the city.

I had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon.I'm looking forward to building more housing in New York City. pic.twitter.com/XnPbt0KXYU

The mayor posted the photo of their meeting, featuring the front pages, to his social media page.

Ms. Bahr said Mr. Trump was “very enthusiastic” about Mr. Mamdani's proposal, which would allow 12,000 new affordable homes to be built at Sunnyside Yard in Queens by securing more than $21 billion in federal grants to build a deck over the rail yard site. The mayor's office estimates that the project could create 30,000 jobs and would be the biggest housing and infrastructure investment in more than 50 years.