New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani showed up at the White House on Thursday (Feb 26) with a carefully chosen gift for President Donald Trump. The offering, which was clearly designed to appeal to Trump’s ego, came with an appeal: for the POTUS to intervene in the case of Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia University student who had been detained earlier by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. So, what was the gift? Did it work? All you need to know.<h2>What did Mamdani give Trump?</h2>Zohran Mamdani gave Donald Trump a mocked-up New York Daily News front page praising Trump’s support for housing in the city. The graphic featured a stoic photo of the president with the headline, “Trump to City: Let’s Build.”Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-declares-open-war-against-afghanistan-taliban-says-patience-reached-its-limit-1772154130929">Pakistan declares 'open war' against Afghanistan Taliban, says 'patience reached its limit'</a>Alongside it, Mamdani presented a very different piece of history. The original 1975 Daily News cover that once declared “Ford to City: Drop Dead.”By all accounts, it worked. The president appeared to take to it immediately. A picture shared by Mamdani on X shows Trump grinning from ear to ear while showing off the two newspapers.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I had a productive meeting with President Trump this afternoon. I’m looking forward to building more housing in New York City. <a href="https://t.co/XnPbt0KXYU">pic.twitter.com/XnPbt0KXYU</a>&mdash; Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/2027113267710021738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Ellie Aghayeva freed</h2>Mamdani later described the Oval Office conversation as "productive". In a post on X, he said he was "looking forward to building more housing in New York City" with Trump.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/elon-musk-blasts-new-york-times-as-utterly-disgusting-over-paedophilia-not-a-crime-article-jeffrey-epstein-files-1772095271310">'Utterly disgusting’: Musk blasts NYT over 'paedophilia not a crime' article</a>During the meeting, the mayor also raised the case of Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia University student detained earlier that day by federal immigration agents from her dorm. Mamdani asked Trump to consider her release. Soon after, he said the president agreed in a follow-up call.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just got off the phone with President Trump. In our meeting earlier, I shared my concerns about Columbia student Elmina Aghayeva, who was detained by ICE this morning. He has just informed me that she will be released imminently. <a href="https://t.co/rvmTWpq83r">https://t.co/rvmTWpq83r</a>&mdash; Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/2027129042432913711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

29-year-old Aghayeva later posted online that she was safe and heading home.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2026/20260227/image-1772179388056.png"></figure>Mamdani’s office confirmed that he also shared a list of four additional detained students with Trump and his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, requesting that their cases also be reviewed.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani brought an unusual present for Donald Trump to the White House, along with a request tied to an ICE detention. What was the gift and did it work?

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani showed up at the White House on Thursday (Feb 26) with a carefully chosen gift for President Donald Trump. The offering, which was clearly designed to appeal to Trump’s ego, came with an appeal: for the POTUS to intervene in the case of Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia University student who had been detained earlier by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. So, what was the gift? Did it work? All you need to know. What did Mamdani give Trump? Zohran Mamdani gave Donald Trump a mocked-up New York Daily News front page praising Trump’s support for housing in the city. The graphic featured a stoic photo of the president with the headline, “Trump to City: Let’s Build.” Also read | Pakistan declares 'open war' against Afghanistan Taliban, says 'patience reached its limit' Alongside it, Mamdani presented a very different piece of history. The original 1975 Daily News cover that once declared “Ford to City: Drop Dead.” By all accounts, it worked. The president appeared to take to it immediately. A picture shared by Mamdani on X shows Trump grinning from ear to ear while showing off the two newspapers.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani brought an unusual present for Donald Trump to the White House, along with a request tied to an ICE detention. What was the gift and did it work?Scroll down to read more.

Mamdani flatters Trump with a gift, scores freedom for Ellie Aghayeva, the Columbia student detained by ICE

Vice President Kamala Harris, an Indian-American politician, is among the names who can replace President Joe Biden as a candidate for Democrats for the 2024 presidential election amid concerns over the president's age and health.&nbsp;

Some Democrats have openly questioned whether or not Biden should be replaced as a candidate in this year's election, especially after his shaky performance in the debate with former president Donald Trump on June 27.&nbsp;

Similar chatter has been going on among voters, with some discussing it on social media forums. In fact, at a daily White House briefing on Tuesday (Jul 2), a reporter asked the press secretary a direct question about Biden's cognitive state.&nbsp;

Besides Harris, other potential replacements include&nbsp;California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. But the process won't be easy.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2024-poll-finds-voters-prefer-kamala-harris-over-biden-in-matchup-against-trump-737458">US Elections 2024: Poll reveals voters prefer Kamala Harris over Biden in matchup against Trump</a>&nbsp;

Talks around Biden's possible replacement remind the world of former president Gerald Ford's old statement when he talked about how the nation would get its first female president.&nbsp;

While giving a talk in 1989 to about 100 schoolchildren at the Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in Iowa, Ford claimed that a woman would become president by first being elected vice president and then assuming the role of president upon the death of the president.&nbsp;

He was asked when a woman would become president, to which he replied: "I can tell you how I think it will happen. He added that he didn't believe it would happen through the "normal course of events".&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-does-biden-has-alzheimers-nancy-pelosi-says-both-him-and-trump-should-undergo-mental-acuity-test-737347">Explained: Does Biden have Alzheimer's? Nancy Pelosi says both him and Trump should undergo mental acuity test</a>&nbsp;

He said, "Either the Republican or Democrat political party will nominate a man for president and a woman for vice president, and the woman and man will win. So we'll end up with a president, a male, and a vice president, a female. And in that term of office of the president, the president will die, and the woman will become president under the law, our Constitution."&nbsp;

"And once that barrier is broken, from then on, men better be careful because they'll have a hard, hard time ever even getting a nomination in the future. But that's the way it's gonna happen, and I think it will probably come some time in the next four or eight years," Ford added.&nbsp;

Ignoring the death part and considering health issues as the main reason, the current circumstances are similar to what Ford prophesied in 1989.&nbsp;

Watch the archive video here:&nbsp;

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<h2>How Biden can be replaced?&nbsp;</h2>

When it comes to replacement, there is still time to make a change as Biden will not be nominated officially until later this summer.&nbsp;

As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank, a Democratic National Committee (DNC) member, and author of the book "Primary Politics" about the presidential nominating process, said, "Biden could decide himself to step aside before he is nominated; he could be challenged by others who try to win over the delegates he has accrued; or he could withdraw after the Democratic convention in Chicago in August, leaving the Democratic National Committee to elect someone to run against Trump in his place."&nbsp;

If Biden "releases" his delegates by stepping aside, there could be a competition among other Democratic candidates to become the nominee.&nbsp;

As per a recent CNN poll, Harris has emerged as a stronger contender with a better chance of retaining the White House against Trump in the elections as compared to Biden.&nbsp;

Harris said Tuesday she was "proud" to be Biden's running mate, but amid the president's worsening health, her chances to secure the Oval Office for the next five years in the White House have gained remarkable credence. However, it's not just Harris but also Whitmer's potential elevation from Michigan governor's office to Washington's corridors of power is set to dominate the American presidential election's discourse, if Biden stands down. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Vice President Kamala Harris, an Indian-American politician, is among the names who can replace President Joe Biden as a candidate for Democrats for the 2024 presidential election amid concerns over the president's age and health.

Vice President Kamala Harris, an Indian-American politician, is among the names who can replace President Joe Biden as a candidate for Democrats for the 2024 presidential election amid concerns over the president's age and health. Some Democrats have openly questioned whether or not Biden should be replaced as a candidate in this year's election, especially after his shaky performance in the debate with former president Donald Trump on June 27. Similar chatter has been going on among voters, with some discussing it on social media forums. In fact, at a daily White House briefing on Tuesday (Jul 2), a reporter asked the press secretary a direct question about Biden's cognitive state. Besides Harris, other potential replacements include California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. But the process won't be easy. Also read: US Elections 2024: Poll reveals voters prefer Kamala Harris over Biden in matchup against Trump Talks around Biden's possible replacement remind the world of former president Gerald Ford's old statement when he talked about how the nation would get its first female president. While giving a talk in 1989 to about 100 schoolchildren at the Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in Iowa, Ford claimed that a woman would become president by first being elected vice president and then assuming the role of president upon the death of the president. He was asked when a woman would become president, to which he replied: "I can tell you how I think it will happen. He added that he didn't believe it would happen through the "normal course of events". Also read: Explained: Does Biden have Alzheimer's? Nancy Pelosi says both him and Trump should undergo mental acuity test He said, "Either the Republican or Democrat political party will nominate a man for president and a woman for vice president, and the woman and man will win. So we'll end up with a president, a male, and a vice president, a female. And in that term of office of the president, the president will die, and the woman will become president under the law, our Constitution." "And once that barrier is broken, from then on, men better be careful because they'll have a hard, hard time ever even getting a nomination in the future. But that's the way it's gonna happen, and I think it will probably come some time in the next four or eight years," Ford added. Ignoring the death part and considering health issues as the main reason, the current circumstances are similar to what Ford prophesied in 1989. Watch the archive video here: × How Biden can be replaced? When it comes to replacement, there is still time to make a change as Biden will not be nominated officially until later this summer. As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank, a Democratic National Committee (DNC) member, and author of the book "Primary Politics" about the presidential nominating process, said, "Biden could decide himself to step aside before he is nominated; he could be challenged by others who try to win over the delegates he has accrued; or he could withdraw after the Democratic convention in Chicago in August, leaving the Democratic National Committee to elect someone to run against Trump in his place." If Biden "releases" his delegates by stepping aside, there could be a competition among other Democratic candidates to become the nominee. As per a recent CNN poll, Harris has emerged as a stronger contender with a better chance of retaining the White House against Trump in the elections as compared to Biden. Harris said Tuesday she was "proud" to be Biden's running mate, but amid the president's worsening health, her chances to secure the Oval Office for the next five years in the White House have gained remarkable credence. However, it's not just Harris but also Whitmer's potential elevation from Michigan governor's office to Washington's corridors of power is set to dominate the American presidential election's discourse, if Biden stands down. (With inputs from agencies)

Can Kamala Harris become first female US president, validating Gerald Ford’s 1989 remark?

Most infamous and shocking presidential pardons in the history of US

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he is considering pardons for "two or three" American soldiers charged with war crimes, a move he also said would be controversial but justified because they had been treated "unfairly."

Trump told reporters at the White House that he has not decided yet on the cases, but may wait until the accused military servicemen stand trial before deciding whether to grant them pardons.

"Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard, long. You know, we teach them how to be great fighters, and then when they fight sometime, they get really treated very unfairly," Trump said.

He did not identify which cases he was reviewing.

The New York Times on May 18 reported Trump had asked the Justice Department for paperwork on several high-profile war crimes cases in preparation for possible pardons to be announced on or around the US Memorial Day holiday honouring fallen troops. This year's holiday is to be observed on May 27.

One request according to the Times report was for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a decorated US Navy SEAL court-martialed on charges he fatally stabbed a helpless, wounded Islamic State fighter in his custody, and shot two unarmed civilians from a sniper's perch during his 2017 deployment to Iraq.

The 39-year-old combat veteran and platoon leader has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Defence lawyers say the allegations against him were fabricated by subordinate SEAL team members disgruntled with his leadership style and seeking to force his ouster.

Gallagher's trial was delayed this week until June 10 at the earliest. His lawyer told Reuters he had not asked for a pardon, and Gallagher declined to comment on the possibility of presidential clemency when asked by reporters in court.

But the prospect of Trump offering Gallagher a pardon seemed heightened by this week's appointment to his defence team of former federal prosecutor Marc Mukasey, one of Trump's personal lawyers and an associate of fellow Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani.

Another associate of former New York City Mayor Giuliani, ex-New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik - who served three years in prison in a federal corruption case - is an investigator on Gallagher's defence team.

Mukasey, in an interview with Reuters on Thursday, dismissed the notion of seeking a pardon for Gallagher.

"I have a job to do in the courtroom. I have no clue whether anything else is going on," he said.

Gallagher's lead civilian attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told reporters on Wednesday following a hearing at Naval Base San Diego: "If the president decides to step in, that's what the commander does."

Trump first weighed in on the Gallagher case publicly in March, ordering the defendant moved to less restrictive pre-trial confinement "in honour of his past service to our country."

A number of conservative commentators have urged him to pardon Gallagher. Critics say it would pre-empt justice, undermine military discipline and send a message that battlefield atrocities will be tolerated.

The overwhelming majority of pardons are granted to people who have already been convicted and served time for a federal offence, as when Trump earlier this month pardoned former Army Lieutenant Michael Behenna, who served five years in prison for killing an Iraqi prisoner in 2008.

But presidents have occasionally granted pardons preemptively to individuals accused of or suspected of a crime.

The most famous such case was the blanket pardon President Gerald Ford bestowed on his predecessor, Richard Nixon, following Nixon's resignation during the Watergate scandal.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he is considering pardons for "two or three" American soldiers charged with war crimes, a move he also said would be controversial but justified because they had been treated "unfairly.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he is considering pardons for "two or three" American soldiers charged with war crimes, a move he also said would be controversial but justified because they had been treated "unfairly." Trump told reporters at the White House that he has not decided yet on the cases, but may wait until the accused military servicemen stand trial before deciding whether to grant them pardons. "Some of these soldiers are people that have fought hard, long. You know, we teach them how to be great fighters, and then when they fight sometime, they get really treated very unfairly," Trump said. He did not identify which cases he was reviewing. The New York Times on May 18 reported Trump had asked the Justice Department for paperwork on several high-profile war crimes cases in preparation for possible pardons to be announced on or around the US Memorial Day holiday honouring fallen troops. This year's holiday is to be observed on May 27. One request according to the Times report was for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a decorated US Navy SEAL court-martialed on charges he fatally stabbed a helpless, wounded Islamic State fighter in his custody, and shot two unarmed civilians from a sniper's perch during his 2017 deployment to Iraq. The 39-year-old combat veteran and platoon leader has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Defence lawyers say the allegations against him were fabricated by subordinate SEAL team members disgruntled with his leadership style and seeking to force his ouster. Gallagher's trial was delayed this week until June 10 at the earliest. His lawyer told Reuters he had not asked for a pardon, and Gallagher declined to comment on the possibility of presidential clemency when asked by reporters in court. But the prospect of Trump offering Gallagher a pardon seemed heightened by this week's appointment to his defence team of former federal prosecutor Marc Mukasey, one of Trump's personal lawyers and an associate of fellow Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani. Another associate of former New York City Mayor Giuliani, ex-New York Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik - who served three years in prison in a federal corruption case - is an investigator on Gallagher's defence team. Mukasey, in an interview with Reuters on Thursday, dismissed the notion of seeking a pardon for Gallagher. "I have a job to do in the courtroom. I have no clue whether anything else is going on," he said. Gallagher's lead civilian attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told reporters on Wednesday following a hearing at Naval Base San Diego: "If the president decides to step in, that's what the commander does." Trump first weighed in on the Gallagher case publicly in March, ordering the defendant moved to less restrictive pre-trial confinement "in honour of his past service to our country." A number of conservative commentators have urged him to pardon Gallagher. Critics say it would pre-empt justice, undermine military discipline and send a message that battlefield atrocities will be tolerated. The overwhelming majority of pardons are granted to people who have already been convicted and served time for a federal offence, as when Trump earlier this month pardoned former Army Lieutenant Michael Behenna, who served five years in prison for killing an Iraqi prisoner in 2008. But presidents have occasionally granted pardons preemptively to individuals accused of or suspected of a crime. The most famous such case was the blanket pardon President Gerald Ford bestowed on his predecessor, Richard Nixon, following Nixon's resignation during the Watergate scandal.

Trump says to consider pardons for some US soldiers accused of war crimes

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Mamdani flatters Trump with a gift, scores freedom for Ellie Aghayeva, the Columbia student detained by ICE

Can Kamala Harris become first female US president, validating Gerald Ford’s 1989 remark?

Most infamous and shocking presidential pardons in the history of US

Trump says to consider pardons for some US soldiers accused of war crimes