US President Donald Trump lavished praise on New York City Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani on Friday after a surprisingly friendly meeting at the White House, defying expectations that the meeting between the Republican billionaire and the self-proclaimed democratic socialist could be tense.
The warmth shown was in stark contrast to the words the two had exchanged over the past few months. Trump has lampooned Mamdani as an anti-Semitic communist and threatened to revoke his U.S. citizenship, while Mamdani called Trump a “tyrant” in his election victory speech a few weeks ago.
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But Trump appeared to put aside their seemingly irreparable differences, at least for a day, when he spoke to reporters in the Oval Office with Mamdani by his side, calling the “great meeting” “really productive.”
Many people remain unsure what to make of this strangely cordial meeting between people on diametrically opposed political sides, but here are some key takeaways.
find common ground
Mr. Trump and Mr. Mamdani exuded familiarity in their first meeting since Mr. Mamdani, 34, defeated established Democratic Party figures, most notably former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to become New York City’s next mayor earlier this month.
Mamdani said ahead of his meeting with Trump that he would “meet with anyone” to advance affordability policies in America’s largest city, noting that he and Trump share a campaign focused on the cost of living crisis.
“I’m willing to talk to anyone as long as it has the potential to benefit New Yorkers’ economic policy, and that’s what I always advocate,” he said.
The approach appears to have worked, with President Trump predicting success during his tenure leading New York, saying he and Mamdani “agree on a lot more than I ever expected.”
“Some of his ideas are the same as mine,” Trump said, adding that “one in 10” of his supporters voted for Mamdani.
“He wants a safe New York, and ultimately a safe New York within a great New York,” Trump said of Mamdani. At a subsequent press conference, President Trump emphasized Mamdani’s dedication to fighting crime and reiterated his emphasis on strong law enforcement, a traditional Republican focus.
The US president also hinted at reaching an agreement with Mamdani regarding housing.
“He said something very interesting. He wants to see a lot of housing built, a lot of apartments built,” Trump said. “People will be shocked, but I want to see the same thing.”
“I want to help him, not hurt him,” Trump said. “It was a big help.”
praise and jokes
But the apparent friendship extends beyond policy issues, with President Trump repeatedly praising Mamdani.
“I think this mayor is going to do some really great things,” he said at one point.
At another point, President Trump said, “The better he does, the happier I am. I’m very confident he can do a very good job.”
President Trump spoke about Mamdani’s campaign and how he went from polling just 1% to swaying Cuomo, first in the Democratic primary and then in the actual election. “What he did was amazing,” the president said.
A reporter asked President Trump if he would feel comfortable living in New York City under Mayor Mamdani’s term.
“Yes, I do, I really do,” Trump responded immediately. “Especially after the meeting. Of course.”
Towards the end of the press conference, President Trump shared his impressions of Mamdani after their meeting.
“I met a very reasonable person. I met a man who really wants New York to be great again. I think he wants to make New York great again, better than ever.”
In one memorable moment, Trump even briefly ejected Mamdani when asked by reporters if the mayor-elect stood by his previous comments describing the president as a “tyrant” and a “fascist.”
President Trump interjected, saying, “It’s okay. Just say ‘yes.'” “It’s easier than explaining.”
The compliments were largely one-sided, with Mamdani speaking in a respectful tone when talking about Trump but appearing to draw the line between actively praising him.
Breaking away from the White House and Republican messaging
If the plan was to move away from Mamdani’s boogeyman characterization, the Trump administration and key members of the Republican Party were not given that message.
The day before the meeting, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said it “speaks volumes” that “communists” are visiting the White House.
“This is the person Democrats chose to be mayor of the largest city in the country,” she said.
Vice President J.D. Vance also joked Thursday that he “might have a stomach bug” to avoid meeting Mamdani, who is scheduled to take office on the first day of 2026.
Republican Sen. Rick Scott also derided Mamdani on Friday morning as a “literal communist” and predicted that President Trump would “educate” Mamdani at the White House later in the day.
But Trump avoided any offensive remarks against Mamdani, even going so far as to contradict members of his own party, telling reporters that he disagreed with Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s description of Mamdani as a “jihadist.”
“We’re going to have to agree to disagree on this,” Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Stefanik said in response to Trump’s comments.
“If he walks like a jihadist, if he talks like a jihadist, if he campaigns like a jihadist, if he supports a jihadist, he is a jihadist,” she wrote to X.
We all want New York City to succeed.
But I have to agree with you on this one.
If he walks like a holy warrior
If he speaks like a holy warrior
If he campaigned like a jihadist
If he supports the jihadists,He’s a jihadist.
And he’s @KathyHochul’s jihadist. pic.twitter.com/JZaM29d82R
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 21, 2025
It is impossible to explain why President Trump took a more conciliatory approach in this meeting, a major break from previous Republican messaging on Mamdani.
But the meeting and talk of affordability as a shared concern come as President Trump faces intense scrutiny over rising prices after months of tariffs.
In recent days and weeks, major rifts have emerged between the Republican Party and the Trump MAGA movement — particularly over the Epstein file scandal and U.S. support for Israel. On Friday, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, long one of Mr. Trump’s most ardent supporters and champion of the MAGA movement, announced she would resign from Congress in January following a public clash with the president.
avoid israel
One of the topics that raised concerns that there would be an even more awkward and confrontational atmosphere between Trump and Mamdani was Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
Asked by a reporter about his previous comments about the US government’s complicity in attacks on Israel, including the current administration, Mamdani did not hesitate to repeat this criticism, even as an awkward-looking Trump sat silently next to him.
“I talked about the Israeli government committing genocide (in Gaza), and I talked about our government funding it,” he said. This is the first known time that Israel has been accused of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip within the walls of the White House, even by opponents of the current administration.
But Mamdani quickly pivoted back to his core message about New York’s cost of living crisis.
“During our meeting, I shared with the president concerns that many New Yorkers want their tax dollars to go toward New Yorkers’ benefits and ability to access basic dignity,” he said.
“We also believe that we must uphold international human rights, and we know that human rights are still being violated today,” Mamdani added, without mentioning Gaza.
