United States President Donald Trump on Friday met newly elected New York City mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a man who he has publicly lashed out against.
Among other things, Trump has in the past called Mamdani a “communist lunatic” and a “total nut job.” The NYC mayor had also proudly proclaimed that he was Trump’s “worst nightmare.”
However, the customary meeting between the two seemed warm and cordial, with Trump also indulging in praising the Democrat for his aims and manner of conduct.
“I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office after the meeting with Mamdani. The US President also said he would be “helping” the mayor in making New York “strong and safe.”
For his part, Mamdani said he “appreciate(d)” the US President for the meeting not being focused on disagreements but on the “shared purpose” of “serving New Yorkers.”
While justifying her remark and calling Stefanik a “capable person”, Trump said the reporter should ask Stefanik the question directly. However, the US President dismissed the remark, saying he had met with a “very rational” man.
“I met with a man who really wants to see New York be great again,” the US President added. Trump further said that Mamdani wants to make New York “greater than ever before”, adding that he would be “cheering for him.”
During the Oval Office interaction, Trump also spoke about the press interest in his meeting with Mamdani. “The press has eaten this thing up,” the US President said, while adding that the meeting had garnered more attention than the ones with other heads of states.
“You know I’ve had a lot of meetings with heads of major countries, nobody cared. This meeting…outside you have hundreds of people waiting,” Trump said. He said that the press had “found this to be a very interesting meeting.” He further said the meeting with Mamdani was “great.”
Both Trump and Mamdani were grilled by reporters regarding remarks made about each other, including the latter’s comment calling the US President a “fascist.”
When asked whether Mamdani was “affirming” his thinking that Trump is a “fascist”, Trump quipped in between, saying the NYC mayor could just agree to the question.
“That’s okay, you can say it,” Trump said, following which Mamdani replied in the affirmative. “It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind,” the US President said while patting Mamdani’s arm affably.
Addressing a reporter’s query, Mamdani spoke about the working class of New York being “left behind” in the politics of the city. The mayor said that they were looking to “put those people right back at the heart of our politics.”
Reasserting his pitch for affordability before Trump, Mamdani said, “In the wealthiest city in the world, one in five can’t afford $2.90 for the train or bus.” The US President backed Mamdani on the matter, saying some of his ideas “are really the same ideas that I have.”
During the press interaction, one of the reporters asked Trump whether he would be “comfortable” living in New York City, once his “home”, under the Mamdani administration.
