In the White House Oval Office on November 21, 2025, President Donald Trump met NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. By Saturday, November 22, he reversed his earlier threat to deploy the National Guard to New York City after a cordial session.
Trump told reporters that while he would dispatch troops if the city ever needed it, “right now, other places need it more.” He credited the meeting as productive and signaled a readiness to help Mamdani when asked.
New York politicians and observers had warned against troop deployment, with former governor Andrew Cuomo among them. The White House meeting produced a more conciliatory tone and leaves open what federal support might look like next fall.
TACO stands for “Trump Always Chickens Out” in some commentary about Trump’s pattern of threats and reversals.
Coverage from The Daily Beast and Yahoo News framed the reversal as a notable pivot, signaling a potential shift in how federal power could be used in a city political dynamic that has roiled the national stage.
As Mamdani begins his term amid a national political scramble, observers will watch whether this is a one-off pause or a longer recalibration in Trump’s approach to New York.
Sources: Daily Beast and Yahoo News.
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