New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Sunday that he has been texting with President Donald Trump since a November White House meeting but declined to describe the exchanges, saying the conversations keep returning to "the question of New Yorkers."
In an interview on ABC's "This Week," Mamdani said he got the president's number during that meeting. "He gave me his number. I'll say that the conversations between the president and I are private, and I'll keep them there. But they are always back to the question of New Yorkers."
Pressed on how often the two communicate, Mamdani sidestepped the question and framed the contact as transactional rather than personal.
"I think it's less about the maintenance of a personal relationship, it's more about delivering for the people of the city," he said. He added that he had warned during the campaign that "where the president is looking to pursue policies that will hurt the city, I'm going to be there on the front lines," while embracing chances to cooperate on policies that help New York.
The comments extend a public thaw after months of mutual attacks during the 2025 campaign and the transition period.
Axios reported this month that the texting began after Trump and Mamdani exchanged numbers during their November Oval Office meeting and described the relationship as unusual given prior insults, including Trump deriding Mamdani as a "communist."
The White House and Trump allies have continued to criticize Mamdani's politics even as he has sought points of cooperation, especially on affordability and federal support for the city.
Ahead of the November meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called him a "communist," and CBS News reported that Trump had threatened to withhold federal funding from New York City.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, was sworn in Jan. 1 after winning the November election, and he has centered his early agenda on cost-of-living issues, including universal child care, rent relief, and fare-free bus service.
During the campaign, Mamdani also argued for higher taxes on top earners and corporations to help fund parts of his agenda, though such changes would require action by state officials, not just the mayor.
Reuters contributed to this story.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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