The US president has praised Mamdani’s electoral victory in the first in-person meeting for the political opposites
US president Donald Trump has said he believes Zohran Mamdani “could do a very good job” as the incoming New York City mayor. The political opposites held the first in-person meeting at the White House on Friday.
”I can tell you, some of my views have changed… I feel very confident that he can do a very good job. I think he is gonna surprise some conservative people, actually,” Trump said, praising Mamdani’s electoral victory.
A democratic socialist and little-known state lawmaker who won New York’s mayoral race earlier this month, Mamdani requested the sit-down with Trump to discuss cost-of-living issues and public safety.
After months of trading insults in the media, the mayor-elect and the president appeared to strike a rapport in the Oval Office. “We agreed on a lot more than I thought,” Trump told the reporters following a private meeting. “We have one thing in common: we want this city of ours that we love to do very well.”
“It was a productive meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love, which is New York City, and the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers,” Mamdani added.
Mamdani’s victory in the heavily Democratic city earlier this month came despite fierce opposition from conservatives and little enthusiasm from mainstream Democrats. Trump branded him a “communist lunatic,” predicting that his policies would push New Yorkers to flee the city for Miami.
READ MORE: Russian communists hail victory of ‘partner’ Mamdani
As Mamdani surged in the polls to victory, Trump issued threats to strip federal funding from the city. The mayor-elect has consistently criticized various policies put forth by Trump, particularly those aimed at increasing federal immigration enforcement in New York City, a locale where nearly 40% of the population is foreign-born.
