Former US president Barack Obama met for the first time with New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday at a childcare centre, where they read and sang with preschool children.
The meeting took place as Mamdani is also seeking to build a working relationship with Republican president Donald Trump.
According to a statement from the mayor’s office, the two leaders discussed the mayor’s vision for New York City and the importance of early childhood education.
Meeting at a New York childcare centre
Obama and Mamdani did not take questions after reading the children’s book “Alone and Together” to the group.
The former two-term president and prominent Democratic Party leader has offered to act as an adviser to Mamdani, 34, whose popularity, youth and progressive agenda have made him stand out in Democratic politics.
Former President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani read to preschoolers and led a sing-along at a child care center after the two met for the first time on Saturday.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 19, 2026
According to a release from the mayor's office, the two leaders discussed the mayor's vision… pic.twitter.com/2RcR1W4TG6
Mamdani took office in January following a campaign focused on making New York a more affordable place to live, with policies aimed at redirecting government power to support the city’s struggling working class.
Contacts with Donald Trump
Mamdani has met Trump twice at the White House, in November and February, to discuss issues affecting New York.
Sadly, Mayor Mamdani is DESTROYING New York! It has no chance! The United States of America should not contribute to its failure. It will only get WORSE. The TAX, TAX, TAX Policies are SO WRONG. People are fleeing. They must change their ways, AND FAST. History has proven, THIS…
— Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) April 16, 2026
Despite those cordial meetings, their relationship has recently shown signs of tension. On Thursday, Trump posted on social media that Mamdani was “DESTROYING New York” with his tax policies and threatened to cut federal funding to the city.
With information from Associated Press and CBS News.
