President Trump praised Mamdani for his “incredible” victory in the New York mayoral race and focus on affordability.
Published November 21, 2025
US President Donald Trump and New York Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani met at the White House and expressed hope for a productive and friendly relationship despite a history of mutual criticism.
Speaking to reporters after Friday’s debate, Trump praised Mamdani, a Muslim politician whom he once denounced as a “jihadist” and threatened to revoke his U.S. citizenship, for his successful campaign and focus on cost of living issues.
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“We had a great meeting. It was a really productive meeting. We have one thing in common, and that is we want to do well for this city that we love,” the New York-raised Trump said, adding that Mamdani ran an “incredible race” and defeated his rivals “easily.”
“Thank you for the meeting with the President. As the President said, it was a productive meeting that focused on a place of common admiration and love, which is New York City,” Mamdani responded, adding that they discussed issues in areas such as rent, utilities and groceries.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who embraces New York’s status as a community of people from around the world and has voiced a staunch defense of Palestinian rights, is politically at odds with Trump. Trump’s xenophobic politics paint immigrants as a dangerous domestic threat, and he has previously pushed for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.
Asked about areas of disagreement with Trump, such as immigration enforcement, Mamdani said he wanted to work together toward common goals despite differences.
He referenced a video he shared in November 2024 in which he discussed issues such as affordability and U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts with Trump supporters after the 2024 presidential election. Mamdani said he now wants to find common ground on ending America’s “forever wars” and lowering the cost of living.
“I think both President Trump and I have been very clear about our positions and our views, and what I really appreciate about the president is that we’ve had conversations that focused less on our many disagreements and more on our common purpose of serving New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.
“This has the potential to transform the lives of the 8.5 million people currently facing a cost-of-living crisis, with one in four living in poverty,” he said.
Trump has recently spoken positively about Mamdani’s focus on the cost of living issue, despite past harsh comments as polls show growing concern about the state of the U.S. economy.
“Many of my voters said they actually voted for me,” Trump told reporters. “And I’m okay with that.”
