We agreed on a lot more than I thought: Trump heaps praise on NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at White House
Mamdani, who flew to Washington for his first official interaction with the President, stood alongside Trump in the Oval Office as the latter praised his "incredible race" and expressed confidence that the 34-year-old Democrat could "do a very good job" leading America's largest city.
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani set aside months of acrimonious exchanges on Friday, holding what both described as a "very productive" meeting at the White House focused on New York's affordability crisis and public safety.
Mamdani, who flew to Washington for his first official interaction with the President, stood alongside Trump in the Oval Office as the latter praised his "incredible race" and expressed confidence that the 34-year-old Democrat could "do a very good job" leading America's largest city.
Agreed more than I would have thought
"We agreed on a lot more than I would have thought," Trump said. "We want this city of ours that we love to do very well… I want him to do a great job, and we'll help him do a great job."
Asked if he would feel comfortable living in New York under Mamdani's leadership, Trump replied: "Absolutely. Especially after the meeting."
Mamdani echoed the conciliatory tone, calling the discussion "productive" and centred on "shared admiration and love" for New York. He said the two spoke extensively about rent, groceries, utilities and the cost-of-living crisis affecting 8.5 million New Yorkers.
A dramatic tonal shift
The warmth stood in stark contrast to the months-long hostile rhetoric between the two men. Trump had repeatedly labelled Mamdani a "communist", a "radical left lunatic", and warned that his election would be a "complete and total disaster". Mamdani, meanwhile, had called Trump a "despot" in his victory speech and vowed to challenge his policies.
On Friday, however, both leaders downplayed the past tensions. Trump joked that being called a despot was "not that insulting", adding, "I've been called much worse."
Asked whether he still believed Mamdani held extreme views, Trump said, "He's got views that are a little out there… but I think he's going to surprise some conservative people."
Policy discussions and federal support
The two leaders discussed affordable housing, crime reduction and rising living costs. Trump indicated he would no longer pursue threats to cut federal funding for New York, saying he expected to be "helping him, not hurting him".
"He wants to see no crime. He wants to see housing being built. He wants to see rents coming down -- all things I agree with," Trump said.
The President also defended Mamdani when a reporter questioned why he chose to fly rather than take a train from New York, saying the trip was long and "he's working very hard".
Confronting old attacks
When a reporter asked Mamdani whether he still believed Trump was a fascist, Trump interjected jokingly: "That's okay, you can just say yes." Mamdani declined to repeat his earlier statements, saying the meeting focused on "shared purpose… serving New Yorkers".
On accusations from Republican lawmakers that Mamdani was a "jihadist", Trump dismissed the claim, saying: "I met with a man who is a very rational person… He wants to see New York be great again."
A new chapter?
Trump said he expected to work closely with the mayor-elect on public safety and affordability, two areas where he claimed they share common ground.
"The better he does, the happier I am," Trump said. "I think this mayor can do some things that are going to be really great."
Mamdani, who becomes New York City's first Muslim and first South Asian mayor when sworn in on January 1, said he hoped the meeting would translate into tangible benefits for New Yorkers struggling with soaring costs.
"The conversation kept coming back to how we lift people out of struggle," he said.