Mamdani Names The ‘Honest’ Approach He Takes To Communicating With Trump About ICE

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed his communication strategy toward President Donald Trump when asked if he feels he has to appeal to the president’s ego to avoid threats of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement setting their sights on the city’s residents.

“I think I need to continue to be honest with the president, and that honesty is in places of disagreement,” said Mamdani of his interactions with Trump in a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

“I’ve spoken to him directly about how I think of ICE as a cruel agency that does nothing to serve the interest of public safety. I’ve spoken about how I think it should be abolished.”

The remarks by Mamdani arrive as Trump’s border czar Tom Homan teases “more ICE agents than you’ve ever seen” coming to New York City, talk that’s escalated since Monday after an anti-ICE protester allegedly set off fireworks outside a federal building in downtown Manhattan.

The building — 26 Federal Plaza — has become a flashpoint for protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown as it’s the site of an immigration court that masked immigration agents have used to make arrests, even in the wake of a federal judge restricting such detentions back in May.

Mamdani has repeatedly championed New York’s sanctuary city status and called for the abolishment of ICE, fueling the ire of Trump officials.

The democratic socialist, who has been applauded for his cordial relationship with Trump, helped secure the release of a Columbia University student who was snatched by federal agents on Feb. 26, the same day of what he called a “productive” meeting with the president at the White House.