The NYC mayor spent his whole campaign ripping Trump, now he reveals the President gave him his private line for a bizarre reason

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed that he’s been actively texting President Trump using the president’s private line, as per The Hill. Mamdani confirmed the unique communication channel during a television appearance, explaining that the president personally handed over his contact information following a meeting at the White House back in November.

Mamdani made it clear that while he’s texting the president, the conversations are strictly focused on local issues. He said he’s keeping the content of their specific texts private, but stressed that they “are always back to the question of New Yorkers.”

Before their face-to-face in November, Mamdani and President Trump were constantly slamming each other in interviews and online. President Trump, who is a New York native himself, frequently criticized the newly elected mayor for promoting policies rooted in democratic socialism. We’re talking about big plans like rent freezes, free child care for families, and free transportation options for the city.

For the mayor, this is entirely about getting results for the people he represents

The core of their disagreement really boils down to money and how the city should handle its wealth. President Trump earned the vast majority of his fortune as a successful real estate developer in New York City, so Mamdani’s key campaign promise to tax the wealthy was always going to cause friction.

The mayor is standing firm on those progressive plans, even in his private conversations with the president. Mamdani explained that while New York City is a symbol of global capital and the wealthiest city in the history of the world, that prosperity isn’t reaching everyone.

“And yet it’s the same city where 1 in 4 New Yorkers are living in poverty,” Mamdani said. He believes the city must change so that residents can actually afford to live where they work. “We have to make this such that New Yorkers know this isn’t just a city where they work in, this also has to be a city where they can afford to live in,” he insisted.

This is why the mayor plans to implement some serious tax changes. He wants a 2 percent tax increase on income over $1 million. He’s also looking to increase taxes on corporations that operate locally. These moves are designed to ease the financial strain on the New Yorkers struggling with poverty.

Despite proposing tax hikes that will certainly affect the city’s richest residents and businesses, Mamdani says he wants the wealthy people and corporations to stay. He believes the city’s vision should include everyone, not just those who can afford the high cost of living. “We want this to be a vision of a city, not where we pick and choose who gets to live here, but that we make room for everybody to do so,” he explained.

Mamdani essentially views the text messages as a necessary tool for governance. The mayor stated very clearly during his campaign that he would be on the front lines fighting the president if his policies hurt the city. However, he also promised to embrace the chance to work together if the president pursues policies that help New York. This is a purely transactional relationship designed to deliver results, and honestly, you have to respect that level of commitment to his constituents.