New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani revealed Friday that he has made efforts to meet with Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, after the billionaire executive publicly criticized the mayor’s viral “Tax the Rich” video.
Mamdani stated that a member of his team contacted Griffin’s office to schedule a meeting, but as of Friday, no response had been received.
“We reached out to set up a meeting,” Mamdani said. “We’re still waiting to hear.” He emphasized that the invitation remains open, extending to “a number of business leaders across the city.” Mamdani expressed his intention to listen and engage in conversations that explore areas of disagreement to gain honest reflection and critique, without preconditions.
This outreach follows Mamdani’s video, posted on April 15, which featured Griffin’s New York City penthouse and advocated for a new pied-à-terre tax proposal. The mayor, who has pledged to increase taxes on wealthy New Yorkers, highlighted Griffin’s $238 million penthouse, the most expensive residential sale in U.S. history at the time of its 2019 purchase.
Griffin subsequently described the video as a “creepy and weird” political advertisement. A spokesperson for Griffin commented, “Ken cares deeply about New York City and welcomes thoughtful, serious conversations about the policies that can grow the city’s economy and create more opportunity for all New Yorkers. Reckless political theater serves no purpose and undermines the future of one of the world’s most important cities.”
During a panel at the Milken Conference in Los Angeles earlier this month, Griffin called Mamdani’s video “frightening” and stated it reinforced his decision to expand business operations in Miami. “Mamdani has made it very clear—New York does not welcome success,” Griffin remarked.
Citadel is currently developing a new headquarters in Miami, and Griffin has reiterated plans to increase the company’s presence in Florida, citing the state’s business-friendly policies.
The mayor’s office previously told Fox News Digital that Mamdani “wants all New Yorkers to succeed,” including Griffin, whom they acknowledged as a significant employer in the city. However, the office maintained, “our tax system is fundamentally broken. It rewards extreme wealth while working people are pushed to the brink. The status quo is unsustainable and unjust. If we want this city to become a place that working people can afford, we need meaningful tax reform that includes the wealthiest New Yorkers contributing their fair share.”
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