- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called his surprise meeting with President Donald Trump “productive” after sharing a photo together in the Oval Office.
- After Mamdani left the White House, he called the president to arrange the release of Columbia University student Elaina Aghayeva, who was detained after federal immigration officers misrepresented themselves to gain entry to a residential building Thursday morning.
- “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,” the mayor said.
- The unscheduled visit followed Trump's recent criticism of Mamdani, whom he called “the new communist mayor of New York City” while discussing a voter identification bill. “I think he's a nice guy. I actually speak to him a lot — bad policy, but nice guy,” Trump added.
- Trump, a native New Yorker, previously hosted Mamdani in November shortly after his election, where he unexpectedly praised the then-mayor-elect and pledged support for New York.
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