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

New York Metropolis Mayor Zohran Mamdani introduced U.S. President Donald Trump with a mock newspaper entrance web page throughout a go to to the White Home on Thursday (February 27, 2026) to debate huge new housing investments within the metropolis.

It is a tactic designed to attraction to Mr. Trump, who’s keenly conscious of his media protection and, except for being an avid viewer of cable information, is thought to voraciously devour protection within the native New York Metropolis publications. The Republican president and Democratic mayor have maintained a cordial relationship since their first assembly final fall.

Anna Bahr, Mamdani’s communications director, mentioned the mayor’s crew created a mock entrance web page and headlines for Trump to take a look at and show what sort of response new federal housing investments may carry. The mock New York Day by day Information entrance web page says “Trump to Metropolis: Let’s Construct” — a riff on the well-known 1975 cowl that learn “Ford to Metropolis: Drop Lifeless,” referring to Gerald Ford’s vow to veto monetary help to the town.

The mayor posted the picture of their assembly, that includes the entrance pages, to his social media web page.

Ms. Bahr mentioned Mr. Trump was “very enthusiastic” about Mr. Mamdani’s proposal, which might enable 12,000 new reasonably priced houses to be constructed at Sunnyside Yard in Queens by securing greater than $21 billion in federal grants to construct a deck over the rail yard website. The mayor’s workplace estimates that the mission may create 30,000 jobs and could be the most important housing and infrastructure funding in additional than 50 years.

When Mr. Trump and Mr. Mamdani final met in November, the president inspired Mr. Mamdani to return to him with an thought to construct massive issues collectively in New York Metropolis, Ms. Bahr mentioned.

Although Mr. Trump repeatedly maligned Mr. Mamdani as a “communist” as he ran for New York Metropolis mayor, the president appeared charmed by him after their one-on-one assembly on the White Home in November.

Ellie Aghayeva’s ICE detention

On the assembly on Thursday — which was beforehand unannounced and lasted for about an hour — Mr. Mamdani additionally introduced up the detainment of Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia College scholar from Azerbaijan who was arrested earlier on Thursday by federal immigration brokers.

The brokers had accessed a campus residence by claiming they have been looking for a “lacking particular person,” based on Ms. Aghayeva’s attorneys and Columbia’s president. As he met with Mr. Trump, Mr. Mamdani urged Mr. Trump to contemplate releasing her.

In a cellphone name not lengthy after their White Home assembly, Mr. Trump advised the mayor that Ms. Aghayeva could be launched.

Ms. Aghayeva later confirmed her launch in a submit on Instagram. “I simply acquired out a short time in the past. I’m secure and okay,” she wrote.

Mr. Mamdani additionally gave White Home chief of workers Susie Wiles an inventory of 4 different college students focused by federal authorities and requested for the administration’s assist with them.

The 4 college students are Mahmoud Khalil, Yunseo Chung, Mohsen Mahdawi and Leqaa Kordia, who have been all detained for his or her roles in pro-Palestinian protests. Of the 4, solely Ms. Kordia stays in custody, though all instances are continuing by way of the courts.

“Mayor Mamdani is totally proper to name on President Trump to launch Leqaa Kordia, the beloved daughter of an American citizen,” Hamzah Abushaban, Kordia’s cousin, mentioned in a press release.

“For almost a yr, my cousin Leqaa has been locked away in ICE detention, robbed of treasured birthdays, holidays, and irreplaceable moments along with her household. She has endured concern, isolation, and even suffered a seizure whereas trapped behind these partitions. This isn’t justice. This isn’t humanity.”