Trump and NYC Mayor Share ‘Let’s Build’ Moment as Columbia Student Released

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Thursday that he held a “productive meeting” with President Donald Trump, focusing on housing policy and the imminent release of a detained Columbia University student.

In a follow-up statement, Mamdani reported that during their conversation, Trump informed him that Columbia student Elmina Aghayeva would be released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shortly after she was detained earlier that day. The mayor did not provide specific details about the circumstances of her detention or the reason for ICE’s action.

Federal officials had not yet confirmed the release at the time of reporting.

Mamdani has emphasized expanding New York City’s housing supply as central to addressing affordability and rental pressures. Trump, a longtime real estate developer in New York before entering politics, has frequently advocated for deregulation and private-sector incentives to encourage construction.

A photo from the meeting depicted both leaders smiling side by side. In it, Trump held two printouts of New York Daily News front pages: one a genuine 1975 edition with the headline “Ford to City: Drop Dead” — published following President Gerald Ford’s refusal to bail out New York City — and the other a fake printout bearing the text “Trump to City: Let’s Build”.