New Delhi: US President Donald J. Trump met Mayor-Elect of New York City Zohran K. Mamdani Friday, and rather than a “showdown with a socialist” the meeting has led to the two New Yorkers finding a common ground—affordability.
The meeting, which was much-awaited, made for good television, as the two men, who spent months attacking one another, surprised the cameras with smiles, pats, handshakes and a surprising buddy vibe. Trump has labelled Mamdani a “communist lunatic” at one point, while the Mayor-Elect has called the American President a “fascist” and a “despot”.
Mamdani’s meeting, unlike a number of foreign leaders who met Trump in the Oval Office earlier this year, such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, did not play out as contentious. In fact, Trump even commented that Mamdani may surprise some of the “conservatives” during his term in office.
“I feel very confident that he could do a very good job. I think he is going to surprise some conservative people and some very liberal people. He won’t surprise them because they already like him,” Trump said while smiling at Mamdani.
Here are key takeaways from the meeting.
Trump on ICE, federal funding
The seemingly positive meeting has given the Mayor-Elect potential breathing room for a showdown with Trump. The American President has been mulling the idea of sending National Guard troops into New York City, as a part of his larger use of federal forces across the country. Trump has authorised the use of the National Guard in Los Angeles, Memphis, Washington D.C, Chicago and Charlotte so far. However, a number of deployments are currently facing legal challenges.
“Well I think we are going to work them out and I think that if we have known murderers, known drug dealers and some very bad people, we want to get them out. We discussed this in great length. The Mayor—he wants to have a safe New York. Ultimately a safe New York is going to be a great New York,” said Trump when asked about potential deployment of federal agents in New York City.
Ironically, Trump had in the past threatened to withhold federal funding for New York City if Mamdani was elected mayor. Federal funding adds roughly $8 billion to the city’s budget, which is about 7 percent of its annual budget. However, Trump and Mamdani have promised to “work together” to make New York City better, reducing the tensions for the time being.
When questioned about withholding federal funding, Trump was clear that he expects to be “helping him (Mamdani), not hurting him”.
Mamdani’s moment & New York bonhomie
Mamdani was asked a number of adversarial questions by the press after the meeting, which saw the American President step in to defend the Mayor-Elect. When a reporter asked Mamdani if he would “retract” any of his earlier statements calling Trump a fascist and a despot, the President smiled.
“I’ve been called much worse than a despot. So it’s not that insulting. But maybe I think he’ll change his mind after we get working together,” Trump said.
Mamdani, on the other hand, remained deferential to the President in selecting the reporters asking the questions, while focusing on his message—working with Trump on the affordability crisis in New York City.
“Well I told the President that so much of the focus of our campaign has been on the cost of living crisis. When we asked those New Yorkers who had voted for the President (in 2024)… it came back to the same issue—cost of living, cost of living, cost of living,” said Mamdani.
He added: “…We focused on that same cost of living. And that’s where I am really looking forward to delivering for New Yorkers in partnership with the president on the affordability agenda.”
The bonhomie was extended, when Mamdani was questioned once again on calling Trump a fascist, with the President stepping in and telling the Mayor-Elect just “say yes. It’s easier than explaining it.”
The meeting has so far made it a seemingly positive outcome for New Yorkers, Mamdani and Trump. The American President who has been going after Democrats in recent days, in particular over the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and videos from Congress Democrats urging the US military to ignore illegal orders, came out with an almost statesman-like promise to work with Mamdani regardless of political affiliation.
For Mamdani, he has seemingly won over a President who had promised to penalise New Yorkers for voting for him. And for the eight and a half million residents of New York City, its a moment to breathe away from the White House’s scrutiny.
Elise Stefanik loses jihadist attack line
However, the one person who may be unhappy is Trump-ally Elise Stefanik. Representative Stefanik, who has announced her run to become the next governor of the State of New York and running in the Republican primaries, had labelled Mamdani a “jihadist” and as part of her campaign linked the Mayor-Elect to incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul.
Trump defended Mamdani, disagreeing with the “jihadist” tag, calling the Mayor-Elect a “rational person” and a leader who wants to make New York City “great again”. The defence of Mamdani potentially complicates Stefanik’s criticisms against Hochul and Mamdani.
“We all want NYC to succeed. But we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. If he walks like a jihadist. If he talks like a jihadist. If he campaigns like a jihadist. If he supports jihadists, He’s a jihadist. And he’s @KathyHochul’s jihadist,” Stefanik said a in post on the social media platform X, in response to Trump’s defence.
We all want NYC to succeed.
But we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.
If he walks like a jihadist
If he talks like a jihadist
If he campaigns like a jihadist
If he supports jihadists,
He’s a jihadist.
And he’s @KathyHochul’s jihadist. pic.twitter.com/JZaM29d82R
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 21, 2025
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: When Trump met Zohran Mamdani. The Oval Office spectacle that’s become the talk of the town