So here's a fun scene from the Bronx this weekend: former President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hanging out with toddlers. They met Saturday at a childcare center, which was apparently their first face-to-face chat since Mamdani won the mayor's office in 2025.
The main agenda? Early childhood education and Mamdani's big plans for the city. The mayor has been pushing hard for New York's first universal childcare program, and his team has already locked in state funding to expand the existing universal pre-K program across the city. They're also planning to start offering childcare for a limited number of two-year-olds next fall.
According to reports, Obama and Mamdani had a private meeting before joining a classroom for a reading event. Mamdani later posted on X about it, saying, "Today, President Barack Obama and I read to a group of toddlers... we discussed our administration's vision for this City — one where New York's Cutest have the strongest start possible." Obama chimed in too, thanking Mamdani for giving him "an excuse to break out my best 'Wheels on the Bus.'"
Now, the meeting wasn't just about story time. Reports say Obama, who notably didn't endorse Mamdani during the 2025 election, advised the mayor to focus on making strong hires for his administration. The two didn't take questions from reporters, but they did wave to cameras on their way out.
Mamdani's election last year was a historic win that drew praise from high-profile figures, though it also faced some skepticism from centrist Democrats. This weekend's meet-up with Obama—part policy talk, part toddler entertainment—shows the mayor is still pushing his ambitious childcare agenda front and center.










