Mamdani says Trump pledged 'imminent' release of detained Columbia student after WH meeting

WASHINGTON, DC: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with President Donald Trump privately at the White House on Thursday, February 26, in an unannounced visit that touched on housing policy and the detention of a Columbia University student by immigration authorities.

Mamdani confirmed the meeting in a post on X, writing, “I had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon. I’m looking forward to building more housing in New York City.”

The visit was not listed on the mayor’s public schedule as of Wednesday night.

Trump assures Zohran Mamdani of student's release

Shortly after acknowledging the direct meeting with the president, Mamdani said that he spoke with Trump by phone regarding a Columbia University student who had been detained earlier in the day by federal immigration officers.

According to the mayor, he raised concerns directly with the president, who assured him that the student would be released “imminently.”

Mamdani did not provide further details about the student’s identity or the circumstances surrounding the detention, but described the exchange as direct and constructive.

The White House has not commented publicly on the mayor’s account.

Zohran Mamdani discusses housing with Trump

Mamdani indicated that housing was a central topic of the discussion, a key priority for his administration as New York City grapples with affordability pressures and a chronic housing shortage.

Accompanying the brief statement was a photograph of him and Trump behind the iconic desk, with the president holding a pair of New York Daily News front pages.

One was a reproduction of a famous Daily News front page from October 30, 1975, which read 'FORD TO CITY: DROP DEAD' in reference to then-president Gerald Ford’s pledge to veto any federal bailout of the cash-strapped metropolis.

The other was a mock-up in the same style with a photo of Trump and the accompanying headline 'TRUMP TO CITY: LET’S BUILD', indicating that Trump had backed a “new era of housing.”

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Mamdani said that when he and Trump communicate, the focus consistently remains on “how to keep the city moving forward.” 

He added that despite political differences, he views engagement with the federal government as essential to delivering tangible results for New Yorkers.

Trump's SOTU reference about Zohran Mamdani 

The meeting came just days after Trump mentioned Mamdani during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, referring to the mayor as a “nice guy.”

Mamdani responded publicly the following day, downplaying the personal nature of the remark and emphasizing policy over politics. He suggested the White House visit reflected a pragmatic working relationship rather than a shift in political alignment.

Thursday’s visit marked the second in-person meeting between Trump and Mamdani since the mayor took office. After their previous meeting, both sides have continued to frame their interactions as focused on governance rather than ideology.