Washington: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani held an unannounced meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, marking a notable encounter between two political rivals who have sharply criticised each other in recent months.

The meeting did not appear on the president’s public schedule, and no media were invited into the Oval Office. Hours later, Mamdani described the discussion as “a productive meeting” and said he was “looking forward to building more housing in New York City”.

A photograph released by the mayor showed Trump seated behind the Resolute Desk holding two mock-up New York Daily News front pages. One reproduced the newspaper’s 1975 headline, “Ford to City: Drop Dead.” The other featured a fabricated headline reading “Trump to City: Let’s Build”, crediting the president with supporting a “New Era of Housing”.

In smaller print, the mock front page stated: “Trump Delivers 12,000+ Homes; Most Since 1973.”

City Hall spokeswoman Anna Bahr said the mayor presented “a couple of pitches that would produce and construct more housing in a handful of projects than has happened in 50 years”. She did not provide further details on the scope, location or funding structure of the proposed housing developments.

Housing, federal funding and NYC infrastructure

The White House meeting comes as New York City seeks expanded federal support for large-scale housing and infrastructure projects. Affordable housing, public-private partnerships and urban redevelopment have become central issues for the Mamdani administration, particularly as the city grapples with rising rents and supply constraints.

New York City remains heavily dependent on federal funding allocations, especially in areas such as housing, transport and social services. The closed-door meeting signals potential cooperation despite big ideological differences between the Democratic socialist mayor and the Republican president.

Also Read| ‘I had no idea’: Hillary Clinton tells Congress she did not know about Epstein's crimes

Immigration case raised during the meeting

The visit also took a significant turn on immigration enforcement.

After leaving the White House, Mamdani wrote on X that he had raised concerns about Columbia University student Elaina Aghayeva, who had been detained earlier in the day by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“In our meeting earlier, I shared my concerns about Columbia student Elaina Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE this morning. He has just informed me that she will be released imminently,” Mamdani posted.

Aghayeva was later released.

She had been detained early Thursday after federal agents entered a residential building on Columbia University’s Manhattan campus. The university said immigration officials “made misrepresentations to gain entry to the building” in order to arrest her.

Acting Columbia President Claire Shipman said the university’s understanding was that federal agents claimed to be searching for a “missing person” to gain access. She added that, if law enforcement seeks entry to non-public university areas, staff should contact Public Safety and the Office of the General Counsel before granting access.

In a statement to the Columbia Daily Spectator, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Aghayeva’s visa had been terminated in 2016 for failing to attend classes. The department said the building manager and her roommate allowed officers into the apartment and added that she had no pending appeals or applications with DHS.

Evolving political dynamic

The White House did not immediately comment on the meeting.

The encounter underscores an evolving political dynamic between Mamdani and Trump. During the election campaign, Trump frequently criticised Democratic-led cities over immigration policy and law enforcement. Despite sharp rhetoric, the two leaders have now met more than once in the Oval Office.

New York City has been at the centre of national debates over immigration enforcement, federal authority and urban governance. Columbia University, one of the most prominent private institutions in the United States, has in recent years been a focal point in disputes involving campus access and federal agencies.

Also Read | Explained | What is behind the Iran–US nuclear talks in Geneva?

The surprise White House meeting highlights the intersection of federal immigration policy, New York housing development and broader US political tensions ahead of a potentially contentious policy season.

IANS