‘K Pop Demon Hunters’ and ‘Wheels on the Bus’: Obama meets Mamdani for first time in Bronx – Watch
Former President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met for the first time on Saturday, reading to children and leading a sing-along of “Wheels on the Bus” at a Bronx pre-K center.The pair visited the Learning Through Play Pre-K Center in the South Bronx, a facility that is part of the city’s free preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds, according to The New York Times.Clips shared to social media showed Obama and Mamdani joking together, including one instance where the former president ribbed the mayor for not recognizing the lyrics to a song from Netflix’s hit animated film “K Pop Demon Hunters.”
“What song is that?” Mamdani asked, after the children finished their rendition.“Soda Pop,” they replied enthusiastically.“I just want you to know that it’s great that you just made the mayor feel really old, which is fantastic,” Obama said, patting Mamdani on the back.“Incredibly old,” Mamdani responded.
Private meeting beforehand
Few details emerged about what Obama and Mamdani discussed in a reported private meeting beforehand, though the mayor offered a glimpse in a social media post.“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,” Mamdani wrote on X.News of the meeting was first reported by Politico, which noted that Mamdani’s aides had worked for months to set up the sit-down in hopes of extending the momentum generated in the administration’s first months, according to two people with knowledge of the planning.
Obama offered to be a “sounding board” for Mamdani, a Democratic socialist widely seen as a rising star in the party, during a phone call in November 2025 ahead of the mayoral election. The former two-term president reportedly told Mamdani that his affordability-focused campaign had been “impressive to watch.”
Mamdani’s balancing act
The meeting came as Mamdani is also trying to cultivate a working relationship with President Trump. The pair has met twice in the Oval Office since Mamdani’s election, with a largely positive tone emerging after each meeting.However, Trump offered strong criticism of Mamdani this week, claiming the mayor’s proposed tax on second homes was “destroying” New York City.“Sadly, Mayor Mamdani is DESTROYING New York! It has no chance! The United States of America should not contribute to its failure,” Trump wrote in a Thursday post on Truth Social.“It will only get WORSE. The TAX, TAX, TAX Policies are SO WRONG,” he continued. “People are fleeing. They must change their ways, AND FAST. History has proven, THIS ‘STUFF’ JUST DOESN’T WORK.”
