West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James said he’s personally met with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, on a city-produced podcast interview published earlier this month.
It's the first time the meeting between the president and the mayor of Palm Beach County’s largest city has been publicly disclosed.
WATCH: Why Mayor James said it was important to meet with Trump
A spokesperson for the city said the meeting happened back in February and the two leaders discussed the city’s efforts to bring Vanderbilt University to West Palm Beach, Cleveland Clinic’s plans to build a hospital in downtown West Palm Beach and public safety issues like crime.
“Mayor Keith A. James met with Trump in February 2025 to highlight the momentum and progress taking place in the City of West Palm Beach,” said Kathleen Joy, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office. “…Mayor James also shared his broader vision of making West Palm Beach a community of opportunity for all.”
A White House spokesperson responded to WPTV’s request to confirm the meeting took place, but declined to issue any on-the-record comment by publication.
James, a Democrat, emphasized the strategic value of West Palm Beach’s proximity to Mar-a-Lago in the interview published on the city’s website 10 days ago. He said it was important to get a meeting to establish a relationship with the president.
“I needed to do that because I am the mayor of the city,” Mayor James said. “So it's important that he, at least be, hopefully, have a favorable response to the person he knows is the mayor of the city that's literally right across the bridge.”
He also said he believes a Black mayor shouldn’t be the face of resistance against the new administration. James said it could negatively affect the cities they serve as elected officials, which was a message he said he delivered at the board meeting of the African American Mayor’s Association.
“I said listen, Black mayors cannot, should not, be the face of opposition to this new administration,” he said. “I said it is, it would be hazardous to your personal political health and it would also adversely affect your city. I mean, we just have to be honest. We understand the person who is occupying the White House now.”
Mayor James said officials have to become strategic in how they address challenges from the new administration, especially mentioning diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
Multiple government bodies, like the Palm Beach County commission and school board, have eliminated DEI policies after threats of losing federal funding. But James said he believes changing the name of DEI could allow the city to keep policies he feels are important.
“We have to be realistic,” Mayor James said. “Even though we may feel strongly that DEI, diversity, equality and inclusion programs, are important. Let's be realistic and change the name. I mean, let's not call it DEI or call it something else that is more palatable to to the taste.”
