Live updates: Mamdani is hosting Trump at Gracie Mansion in New York | CNN Politics

Here's the latest

• NYC meeting: President Donald Trump is meeting right now with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion in New York. Trump is in town to attend the United Nations General Assembly, where he will address world leaders tomorrow.

• Previous discussions: Today marks the third time Mamdani and Trump have met in person. Their first meeting was held in the Oval Office in November 2025, shortly after Mamdani’s election, followed by a second in February. Despite their opposing politics, the pair have had surprisingly amiable discussions.

• What they’ll speak about: While aides for the mayor declined to share details about what Trump and Mamdani plan to discuss, immigration is likely to be a key topic.

What to know about the Sunnyside Yards project and its signficance

Mayor Zohran Mamdani has previously pitched President Donald Trump on a massive housing project that would require billions of dollars in federal funding.

The massive development plan would create thousands of housing units atop the Sunnyside Yard in Queens — a 180 acre railyard where the city has long sought to build housing.

During Mamdani’s last meeting with Trump in February, he presented Trump with a mock version of a Daily News front page with his photo and a headline reading “Trump to City: Let’s Build.” The prop was a riff on a famous Daily News cover from the 1970’s which read “Ford to City: Drop Dead” after President Gerald Ford denied a federal bailout for New York City, which was on the brink of bankruptcy at the time.

The exchange represents what Mamdani’s circle refers to as “speaking Trump,” appealing to the president’s love of buildings and his identity as a developer in the hopes of enticing him to commit federal funding for what could be the most significant federal housing project in generations

Mamdani meeting is an “opportunity moment” for Trump, former New York mayor says

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN that today’s meeting with Mayor Zohran Mamdani gives President Donald Trump an opportunity to demonstrate that he understands Americans’ concerns about affordability.

De Blasio spoke of Mamdani’s pitch to Trump earlier this year about affordable housing.

He added that addressing topics like affordable housing “would be the kind of thing you’d like to see Republicans do more of, not just as a matter of governance, but if they … want to win elections, they better start showing they understand the affordability issue.”

“So, there’s an opportunity moment here for Trump. Not sure he’s going to take it, but it’s there for him,” de Blasio said.

A US president hasn't visited the NYC mayor's home since the '80s

Presidential visits to New York City’s mayoral residence are rare. A sitting president has not made an official visit to the mansion since the 1980’s.

Presidential records show President Ronald Reagan visited Gracie Mansion and presented then-Mayor Ed Koch with a prop check as a sign of the Reagan administration’s commitment to an infrastructure project in Manhattan.

President John F. Kennedy also visited Gracie Mansion in 1962 to deliver a speech on medical care before a group of US mayors. President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter were overnight guests at the mansion in 1978. Carter made the visit during an official trip to New York City and a bill-signing ceremony at City Hall alongside Koch.

Trump-Mamdani meeting underway, aides say

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are now meeting inside Gracie Mansion, according to aides to the mayor.

The meeting is not open to reporters. The president’s motorcade arrived at the Upper East Side location a few minutes ago.

Trump says Gracie Mansion one of his "favorite places in the World"

President Donald Trump said he was looking forward to being at Gracie Mansion, which he called one of his “favorite places in the World,” for a meeting with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“While in New York City, I’m on the way to one of my favorite places in the World, Gracie Mansion. I spent lots of hours there over the years, with some great Mayors, some average Mayors, and some bad Mayors,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“It will be interesting to see how it looks now, invited by Mayor Mamdani. Look forward to it. MAKE NEW YORK CITY GREAT AGAIN!” he added.

While Trump criticized Mamdani during the 2025 mayoral campaign, the two men have had two cordial Oval Office meetings after the mayor was elected. In April, however, Trump accused Mamdani of “destroying” New York City after the mayor announced a pied-à-terre tax targeting wealthy individuals who own property in the Big Apple but don’t actually live there.

Trump and Mamdani have met twice before. Here’s what they discussed

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani held a press conference in the Oval Office after the two met ahead of Mamdani’s term. Despite trading political attacks during the campaign, the two had a warm meeting.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump have met face-to-face twice before.

The meetings have been unexpectedly cordial.

Trump has referred to Mamdani as “my little communist” and has tried to use the mayor — a democratic socialist — as a foil, linking his politics to Democrats across the country. During his campaign, Mamdani said he would “become Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.”

Despite the negative rhetoric, the president said he was “very comfortable” with the mayor running New York City following their first Oval Office meeting.

In his meetings with Trump, Mamdani has also taken a more diplomatic approach, saying his primary focus is New York City’s needs.

Here’s what the two have discussed previously:

November 21, 2025: The first time Trump met with Mamdani at the White House shortly after he was elected as mayor. During the hour-long meeting, Mamdani told CNN that immigration was a key topic of discussion. Both also talked about real estate, debated complicated zoning code, and mulled over how to get a utility giant to bring down electricity rates.

Trump also offered warm remarks about Mamdani during their first meeting.

Among Trump’s comments:

• “I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”
• “Some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have.”
• “I think this mayor can do some things that are going to be really great.”

February 2026: In their second meeting, earlier this year, Mamdani walked into the Oval Office with a major New York City housing pitch.

The two leaders ended their meeting by agreeing on at least one thing: “Let’s build stuff together.”

Mamdani also brought up ICE detaining Columbia student Elmina Aghayeva, and he provided Trump and chief of staff Susie Wiles with a list of other students whose cases he wanted them to also consider dismissing.

Trump phoned Mamdani shortly after he left the White House to inform him Aghayeva had been released.

Today’s meeting will also likely focus on New York City. Mamdani has said when he speaks to the president, it’s always focused on the needs of the city.

The mayor’s staffers declined to say exactly what Trump and Mamdani will discuss, but the president’s immigration agenda has been a consistent pressure point. Mamdani recently announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its expansion of a rule that would make it harder for some immigrants to get green cards.

CNN’s Gloria Pazmino, Maria Sole Campinoti and Aaron Blake contributed to this report.

Immigration likely to come up during meeting between Trump and Mamdani

While aides for the mayor declined to share details about what President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani plan to discuss, immigration is likely to be a key topic.

Although New York City has been spared from the large-scale immigration enforcement that Trump threatened during Mamdani’s campaign, Trump’s immigration and deportation agenda has severely impacted the city’s large immigrant population.

Last week, Mamdani joined New York State Attorney General Letitia James in a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s changes to the “public charge” rule, which gives immigration officers wide discretion to deny green cards and visas to applicants they deem likely to become dependent on government assistance like food stamps and housing vouchers.

Mamdani warned the changes will likely shift costs to the city and put thousands of people at risk of losing crucial health and nutrition benefits.

Trump has arrived at Gracie Mansion

President Donald Trump has just arrived at Gracie Mansion for his meeting with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Trump is in town for the United Nations General Assembly, where he will give a speech tomorrow.

But for now, this will be Trump and Mamdani’s third in-person meeting since the mayor took office on January 1. The meeting is not expected to be open to reporters, but Mamdani is set to have a news conference afterward.

Mamdani has already hosted another president today in New York

As New York City prepares the United Nations General Assembly, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been doing his own share of diplomatic meetings.

Before meeting with President Donald Trump, Mamdani met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Over the weekend, Mamdani also hosted several city mayors from around the world at the 2026 Urban 20 Summit, which Mamdani co-chairs.

Mamdani’s outreach to like-minded mayors and heads of state is part of an effort to connect with officials who share similar politics outside the US.

Part of Mamdani’s welcome included a double-decker open-top bus tour around the city with 50 mayors from around the world.

Mamdani also met with Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada, who joined him to distribute flyers to delivery workers outlining local labor laws.

Rama Duwaji was seen leaving Gracie Mansion hours before Mamdani meets with Trump

New York City’s first lady Rama Duwaji was seen leaving Gracie Mansion today, several hours before the scheduled meeting between Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump.

CNN could see Duwaji exiting the residence and getting into a private vehicle. It is not clear when she will return to the residence.

Typically, Duwaji does not participate in any official events along with the mayor. She has kept a low profile since his election and seldom joins him in public.

Trump is in New York City to attend UN General Assembly

President Donald Trump traveled to New York today ahead of his expected remarks at the United Nations General Assembly tomorrow.

The president is also expected to meet with Gulf leaders tomorrow to discuss the next phase of the war with Iran, two US officials told CNN. In addition, he is scheduled to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and have a “pull aside” with Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez.

What to know about Gracie Mansion, the New York City mayor's official residence

Nestled in a green park with a riverside garden, just a street away from the bustling Upper East Side, Gracie Mansion has been New York City’s mayoral residence since 1942.

It is also one of the oldest wooden structures in Manhattan, according to the Gracie Mansion Conservancy, and is part of the city’s Historic House Trust.

With its yellow siding, green shutters and white wrap-around porch, the house was originally built by a merchant in 1799, according to the Historic House Trust. It changed hands several times and had several uses, before Fiorello H. La Guardia and his family moved in after it was officially designated as the house of the mayor.

Now, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, are living at the property where the mayor will host President Donald Trump today. They moved from Queens to the mansion in January.

Mamdani said at the time that he was looking to make a few updates to the historic property, including installing some bidets and getting a cat, CNN affiliate Spectrum News 1 New York reported.

He said he hadn’t yet “heard from the ghosts” that are rumored to also take up residence in Gracie Mansion, the affiliate reported.

Security tightened around Gracie Mansion for Trump's visit

Law enforcement tightened security in the area surrounding Gracie Mansion ahead of President Donald Trump’s arrival today.

There is a large law enforcement presence surrounding the mayoral residence and police vehicles are patrolling the streets.

A fleet of Department of Sanitation salt spreaders are lined up outside the mansion, blocking off access to surrounding blocks.

Earlier this morning, CNN also spotted barricades lining multiple streets around the mayoral residence.

Trump and Mamdani set to meet this afternoon in New York City

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will meet with President Donald Trump today ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, Mamdani’s office said Sunday.

The meeting will take place at Gracie Mansion, the mayoral residence in Manhattan. A spokesperson for Mamdani said the meeting would “focus on issues affecting New York City and New Yorkers.”

The White House confirmed the meeting with the mayor but did not offer additional details.

Today’s meeting will mark the third time Mamdani and Trump have met in person. Their first meeting was held in the Oval Office in November 2025, shortly after Mamdani’s election, followed by a second meeting in February.

Mamdani was asked last week whether he planned to meet with the president.