You are referring to the highly publicized meeting that just took place yesterday, Friday, November 21, 2025.
President Donald Trump hosted New York City’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, in the Oval Office. The meeting has dominated the news cycle because the two men are political opposites—Trump is a Republican President, and Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist Mayor-elect—yet the meeting was described as surprisingly "warm," "cordial," and "productive."
Here is a breakdown of their discussion:
1. The Participants
* President Donald Trump (47th US President): Who has frequently criticized New York's leadership in the past.
* Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani: A 34-year-old state assemblymember who recently won the NYC mayoral election. He campaigned on a platform of deep affordability and tenant protections.
2. What They Discussed
While they did not publicly mention the specific Brooklyn rail yard you asked about earlier, their conversation focused heavily on infrastructure and affordability, which would cover projects like it.
* Cost of Living: This was the central theme. Both agreed that New York City has become too expensive. Trump specifically mentioned needing to lower energy costs (mentioning Con Edison rates) and food prices.
* Housing: They found common ground on the need to build more housing to lower rents, with Trump praising Mamdani's focus on development.
* Public Safety: They discussed keeping the city safe, with Mamdani emphasizing that his police commissioner (Jessica Tisch) would remain in her post, a move likely intended to signal stability to the White House.
3. The "Surprising" Alliance
The media has focused on how unexpected the tone was.
* Trump's Reaction: After the meeting, Trump told reporters, "We agree on a lot more than I would have thought," and even said he would feel comfortable living in NYC under Mamdani’s administration. He defended Mamdani against reporters who criticized him for flying to D.C. instead of taking the train.
* Mamdani's Approach: Mamdani took a pragmatic approach, stating that despite their disagreements (he has previously called Trump a "fascist"), his job is to get federal money and support for New York City's transit and housing.
Connection to the Train Yard:
Although the new Railcar Acceptance and Testing Facility in Brooklyn wasn't the headline of this specific meeting, it fits perfectly into the "infrastructure" alignment they discussed. Mamdani will need federal transportation grants from the Trump administration to keep facilities like that running and to fund the new subway cars it processes.
Would you like to know more about Zohran Mamdani's background or his specific plans for the MTA?
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