Obama and Mamdani Read to Bronx Preschoolers in First Meeting

Former President and NYC Mayor come together to engage with local community

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:34pm

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Former President Barack Obama met with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a Bronx child care center, where they read to preschoolers and led a singalong. The meeting comes as Mamdani, a democratic socialist, is also trying to build a working relationship with Republican President Donald Trump.

Why it matters

The meeting between the former Democratic president and the current Democratic mayor of New York City is seen as an important step in bridging political divides and showcasing a commitment to early childhood education and community engagement.

The details

At the Learning Through Play Pre-K Center in the South Bronx, Obama and Mamdani read the book 'Alone and Together' to the children and led them in singing 'The Wheels on the Bus'. They did not take questions from the media after the event.

  • On Saturday, April 18, 2026, Obama and Mamdani met for the first time.
  • The meeting comes just over a week after Mamdani marked his 100th day in office as mayor.

The players

Barack Obama

The 44th President of the United States, who has offered to be a sounding board for the young, progressive Mayor Mamdani.

Zohran Mamdani

The 34-year-old democratic socialist mayor of New York City, who has also met twice with Republican President Donald Trump to discuss issues affecting the city.

Donald Trump

The current Republican President of the United States, who has recently criticized Mayor Mamdani's policies on social media and threatened to pull federal funding for New York City.

Learning Through Play Pre-K Center

The Bronx child care center where Obama and Mamdani read to and sang with the preschool children.

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What they’re saying

“Today, President Barack Obama and I read to a group of toddlers at Learning Through Play Pre-K Center in the South Bronx. In between singing wheels on the bus, we discussed our administration's vision for this City — one where New York's Cutest have the strongest start possible.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City

“Great spending time with New York City's Cutest. And thanks to @NYCMayor for giving me an excuse to break out my best 'Wheels on the Bus'.”

— Barack Obama

What’s next

The mayor's office has indicated that Obama and Mamdani plan to continue their dialogue and collaboration on issues impacting New York City, particularly around early childhood education and community engagement.

The takeaway

The meeting between the former Democratic president and the current Democratic mayor of New York City demonstrates a commitment to bridging political divides and working together to support the city's youngest residents, despite tensions between Mamdani and the Republican president.