Obama meets Mamdani in New York City before reading to preschoolers [View all]

Source: ABC News/AP

April 18, 2026, 4:17 PM


Former President Barack Obama met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a child care center where they read to preschoolers and led a singalong.

The meeting comes as Mamdani, a democratic socialist who marked his 100th day in office just over a week ago, is also trying to build a working relationship with Republican President Donald Trump.

Obama and Mamdani did not take questions after reading the book “Alone and Together” to the children and leading a singalong of “The Wheels on the Bus.”

The former two-term president and standard-bearer for the Democratic Party has offered to be a sounding board for Mamdani, 34, whose star power, youth and progressive agenda has made him stand out in Democratic politics.

Read more: https://abcnews.com/Politics/wireStory/obama-meets-mamdani-new-york-city-reading-preschoolers-132173679