Zohran Mamdani says he'll reach out to Trump before taking office: 'This is a relationship that will be critical'

Will he use the red courtesy phone?

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani confirmed Tuesday that he will reach out to President Trump before taking office New Year’s Day, telling NBC New York in an interview that the relationship between City Hall and the White House “will be critical to the success of the city.”

Mamdani , 34, didn’t specify when he would contact the administration, but said he would be “proactive” as he tries to thwart Trump’s hard-line immigration and crime policies.

“[If] President Trump wants to speak about lowering the cost of living or delivering cheaper groceries, like he ran on [in 2024], I’m there to have that conversation,” the mayor-elect said, later adding that he would tell the commander in chief: “I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone that calls the city h