New York/Washington: US President Donald Trump said he had a “very productive meeting” with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and expressed confidence “he can do a very good job”, as the two adopted a mutually warm tone after months of engaging in bitter rhetoric against each other.
Mamdani flew to Washington DC for his first meeting with Trump in the White House Friday. Trump said he “enjoyed” the meeting, which he described as “great.”
“We’ve just had a great meeting, a really good, very productive meeting. We have one thing in common, we want this city of ours that we love to do very well. I wanted to congratulate the Mayor. He really ran an incredible race against a lot of smart people, starting with the early primaries…and he beat them easily,” Trump said in the Oval Office, as Mamdani stood next to him.
When asked if he would feel comfortable living in New York City under a Mamdani administration, Trump responded emphatically, “Yeah, I would, especially after the meeting. Absolutely.”
He added that they agreed on “a lot more than I would have thought. I want him to do a great job, and we’ll help him do a great job. He may have different views….I would feel very, very comfortable being in New York, and I think much more so after the meeting.”
Mamdani said he “appreciated” the meeting with Trump, also describing it as a “productive” one “focused on a place of shared admiration and love, which is New York City and the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers – the 8.5 million people who call our city their home, who are struggling to afford life in the most expensive city” in the US.
Mamdani said the two spoke about issues such as rent, groceries, utilities, affordability, the cost of living crisis and housing.
“I appreciated the time with the President. I appreciate the conversation. I look forward to working together to deliver that affordability for New Yorkers,” he said.
Trump said, “We had a meeting today that actually surprised me. He wants to see no crime. He wants to see housing being built. He wants to see rents coming down, all things that I agree with.”
“Now we may disagree how we get there…I expect to be helping him, not hurting him, a big help because I want New York City to be great. I love New York City,” he said, adding, “I think this mayor can do some things that are going to be really great.”
The mutually warm and friendly tone of Trump and Mamdani was in stark contrast to their vitriolic attacks against each other during the NYC mayoral election campaign and after Mamdani emerged victorious on November 4, defeating Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was officially endorsed by Trump just hours before the elections.
Trump had been critical of Mamdani’s policies, calling him a “communist” and warning that his win will be a “complete and total economic and social disaster” for New York City.
In his fiery victory speech, Mamdani had challenged Trump, calling him a “despot” and saying that “if anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him…So, Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”
But in the Oval Office meeting, Trump praised Mamdani and said, “I think you’re going to have, hopefully, a really great mayor. The better he does, the happier I am…and we’re going to be helping him to make everybody’s dream come true, having a strong and very safe New York.”
Trump said he has been called much worse than a despot, “so it’s not that insulting. I think he’ll change his mind after we get to working together.”
Responding to questions about their bitter rhetoric against each other, Trump said that Mamdani has “got views that are a little out there”, and he could also change going forward.
“We all change. I changed a lot from when I first came to office… We had discussions on some things…but I feel very confident that he can do a very good job. I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people actually,” Trump said.
When asked if he views Mamdani as the true leader of the Democratic Party, Trump said, “This is a man that, right now, I think, is focused on New York City. I really think he has a chance to do a great job. We’re going to help him, but I really think he has a chance to do a great job.”
On whether he will retract some of his remarks against Trump, Mamdani said, “What I really appreciate about the President is that the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers.”
Mamdani said that is something that could transform the lives of New Yorkers who are currently struggling under a cost-of-living crisis, with one in four living in poverty.
“And the meeting came back again and again to what it could look like to lift those New Yorkers out of struggle and start to deliver them a city that they could do more than just struggle to afford it but actually start to live in it.”
At one point, when asked if he is affirming that Trump is a fascist, as Mamdani was about to respond, Trump said, “That’s ok. You can just say yes. It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.”
Mamdani said he is really looking forward to delivering for New Yorkers in partnership with the President on the affordability agenda.
Trump said, “We had some interesting conversation, and some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have,” adding that they discussed issues such as crime and housing.
“We discussed crime and he doesn’t want to see crime, and I don’t want to see crime, and I have very little doubt that we’re not going to get along on that issue.”
Trump described Mamdani as “different” than “your typical guy” and “that can be in a very positive way”.
“He’s different than your average candidate. He came out of nowhere…then all of a sudden, he wins the primary that nobody expected he was going to win. It’s a great, great tribute. It’s an amazing thing that he did.”
To another question on why Mamdani flew to Washington DC from New York instead of taking a train, Trump again jumped to his defence, saying flying is a lot quicker and it’s a long drive between the two places. “He’s working very hard…that’s a very long drive. I’ll stick up for you.”
To a question that US representative Elise Stefanik has called Mamdani a ‘jihadist’ and is he standing next to one in the Oval Office, Trump said, “No, I dont. I met with a man who is a very rational person. I met with a man who really wants to see New York be great again… I think he can bring it back. I think he wants to make it greater than ever before, and if he can, we’ll be out there cheering. I’ll be cheering for him.”
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