President Trump Holds Press Conference With NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani At Gracie Mansion To Discuss New Projects

President Donald Trump met with Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion on Monday ahead of the president’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly.

The president arrived to Gracie Mansion just before 4 p.m., and then delivered a joint press conference with Mayor Mamdani immediately after.

During the press conference, Mamdani spoke about his relationship with the president, and how it is progressing affordable housing and the Sunnyside Yard project, an 180-acre train yard in Queens that could house thousands of apartments and would require at least $21 billion in federal grants.

The project is among the infrastructure projects that Mamdani and Trump previously discussed during their first two meetings.

The two were also asked about the president’s recent ban on certain news outlets from the White House, with Trump saying that he’s only doing it because the “press has an obligation to be fair.”

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Trump and Mamdani just found some very unexpected common ground: building 12,000 homes in NY

Mamdani says they’ve agreed to connect City Hall and White House teams over the massive Sunnyside Yard project, which he says could also create 30,000 jobs.

Trump knows the site well…

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 21, 2026

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“I’ve seen it with numerous different mayors, and I said some great ones and some not so great ones. So hopefully you’re going to be a great one. I’ll be able to say you’re going to be a great one, and you’re off to a start,” Trump said at a press conference after their meeting.

It was the first presidential visit to Hizzoner’s official residence since Ronald Reagan visited Ed Koch in 1981 to tout federal investments in a local roadway project.

Mamdani spoke fondly of the Republican commander-in-chief, who has made railing against the dangers of socialists his major midterm strategy.

“We appreciate the president’s commitment to the city,” Mamdani said. “And today, you know, the president shared many of his memories of having been to Gracie Mansion before, having been out here, as well on the lawn. And we appreciated the conversation of how we can work together to deliver a lower cost of living for New Yorkers.”

Amid the Trump administration’s removal of deportation protections for some 350,000 Haitian migrants, the mayor said he shared his “very strong opinions about how we can keep New Yorkers safe … and how important immigrant New Yorkers, especially Haitian New Yorkers, are not only to the fabric of our city but also to our city’s economy.”

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Trump: I want Mamdani to be a great mayor and he certainly has potential. pic.twitter.com/5ecHGxkh9y

— Acyn (@Acyn) September 21, 2026

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Had a productive meeting with the President today at Gracie Mansion. pic.twitter.com/enpi1K52rR

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) September 21, 2026

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