Nobody expected to see this and it made Kimmel look petty.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani surprised Jimmy Kimmel when the late-night host tried to turn the mayor’s unusual working relationship with President Donald Trump into a television joke.
Instead of taking a shot at Trump, Mamdani declined Kimmel’s suggestion that he send the president a selfie of the two together.
His reason was straightforward: he wanted to keep the focus on housing.
The exchange stood out because Mamdani and Trump have major political differences. Yet the New York City mayor has continued to describe his conversations with the president as focused on practical issues affecting the city.
Kimmel Presses Mamdani About Trump
During his appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Mamdani was asked about what Kimmel called his unexpected relationship with Trump.
Kimmel wanted to know whether the two immediately got along or whether Mamdani had deliberately tried to build a relationship with the president.
When Kimmel jokingly asked Mamdani for help establishing a similar connection with Trump, the mayor declined.
Mamdani then explained that he and Trump have plenty of disagreements but share one important connection: New York City.
According to Mamdani, his approach since meeting Trump has been to concentrate their conversations on issues that could improve life for New Yorkers rather than making the meetings about their political differences.
Trump and Mamdani Focus on New York
That working relationship has produced discussions about housing, affordability and economic development.
One of the biggest projects on the table is Sunnyside Yard in Queens.
The long-discussed proposal involves building a platform over an existing rail yard and developing housing above it.
Mamdani told Kimmel the project could eventually result in approximately 12,000 homes and 30,000 jobs.
Housing has become one of the main subjects of Mamdani’s conversations with Trump, and the two discussed Sunnyside Yard during a September meeting at Gracie Mansion. Following that meeting, Mamdani said City Hall and the White House had agreed to establish a new level of discussion between their respective teams concerning the proposal.
Kimmel Tries to Turn the Conversation Into a Joke
Kimmel continued joking about the relationship.
When Mamdani said he sometimes texts Trump about Sunnyside Yard, Kimmel asked whether the president might think “Sunnyside” referred to eggs.
Mamdani said he was fairly certain Trump understood the reference.
Kimmel then asked what Trump’s private text messages were like.
Mamdani described them as relatively standard, prompting Kimmel to joke that the mayor had somehow managed to break through with the president.
That led to the moment that attracted particular attention.
Mamdani Rejects Kimmel’s Trump Selfie Suggestion
Kimmel suggested that Mamdani take a selfie with him and send it directly to Trump.
The mayor laughed but declined.
“I love you, but I love housing more,” Mamdani told the host.
Rather than use his communications with Trump as part of a late-night comedy routine, Mamdani redirected the discussion toward his policy priorities.
It was a small moment, but an unusual one given the sharp political differences separating Trump and Mamdani.
Their Political Differences Remain
The cordial relationship should not be confused with political agreement.
Mamdani and Trump differ significantly on immigration, economic policy and other issues.
During the same Kimmel interview, Mamdani said he had raised the situation facing Haitian New Yorkers whose protected immigration status had been affected by federal policy. He characterized that subject as an ongoing conversation with the president.
The two have nevertheless continued speaking about matters where the federal government and New York City may be able to cooperate.
Trump and Mamdani met at Gracie Mansion on September 21, 2026, where housing and affordability were among the subjects discussed. Mamdani said afterward that he was willing to work with people from either party when doing so could benefit New Yorkers.
An Unexpected Political Relationship
The relationship between Trump and Mamdani has drawn attention precisely because the two come from very different political camps.
That has made their public interactions unusual at a time when national politics is often defined by partisan confrontation.
Mamdani has continued criticizing Trump policies he opposes while also maintaining direct communication with the White House.
Trump, meanwhile, has publicly criticized Mamdani’s political philosophy while continuing to meet and communicate with the mayor.
Their interactions therefore appear to be less about political alliance and more about finding areas where cooperation is possible.
Why the Kimmel Exchange Stood Out
Kimmel appeared to see the Trump-Mamdani relationship as fertile ground for comedy.
Mamdani treated it differently.
When given an opportunity to turn his access to Trump into a late-night gag, he chose instead to emphasize the housing project he hopes to advance.
That does not erase the political disagreements between the mayor and president.
But it does demonstrate that, at least on some New York issues, both sides have kept the lines of communication open.
And when Kimmel tried to get himself included in that conversation, Mamdani made clear that housing came first.
