NYC mayor Mamdani meets again with Trump, emerging with two unexpected victories
The Straits Times
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When Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, boarded a flight to Washington on the morning of Feb 26, he wore a dark hat and a face mask to obscure his identity.
He had reason for secrecy. He was on his way to the White House for an unannounced meeting with US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly gone to battle with Democratic cities like the one Mamdani runs.
Yet by the time the mayor emerged from the Oval Office hours later, he was ready to crow, claiming not one but two wins from a president who rarely gives them to political adversaries.
First, Mr Mamdani posted a photo of the two men behind the Resolute Desk, saying that they had discussed working together on a major project to build housing in New York.
In the photo, a grinning Mr Trump held up a mock New York Daily News front page Mr Mamdani had given him, featuring a flattering photo of the president and the blaring headline “Trump to City: Let’s Build”.
A few minutes later, the mayor posted again to say that Mr Trump had just called him and promised that federal immigration agents would release a detained Columbia University undergraduate after Mr Mamdani had brought up her case in the meeting.
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