A surprising White House Meeting between Donald Trump and mayor-elect Zahran Mamdani turns friendly as both leaders exchange praise and promise to work together on affordability and crime.
After months of insulting each other, US President Donald Trump and the incoming New York City mayor, Zahran Mamdani, at the White House meting on Friday. Surprisingly, they smiled, exchanged compliments, and promised to work together to reduce crime and make the city more affordable.
The two men are very different in politics — Trump is a Republican billionaire, while Mamdani is a young democratic socialist. They have argued in the past about immigration, the economy, and more. But during their first face-to-face white house meeting, they seemed to get along well.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old state lawmaker, stood beside Trump’s desk as the 79-year-old president smiled at him and gently patted his arm. This was unexpected, since Trump had recently called Mamdani an antisemitic communist and other names.
“We agree on more things than I thought,” Trump told reporters after their private white house meeting. “We both love this city and want it to succeed.”
The Oval Office meeting was much friendlier than Trump had predicted. He often criticizes visiting leaders, but this time the mood was warm. They did not announce new policies, but the meeting seemed to mark the start of an unlikely political friendship.
“What I appreciate is that our meeting focused not on disagreements — and we have many — but on what we both want for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.
A poll shows that only 26% of Americans think Trump is doing well on cost-of-living issues. Mamdani, meanwhile, recently won his election by promising rent freezes, free bus service, and free childcare. His victory was part of a strong night for Democrats earlier this month, which was disappointing for Republicans. Trump was not expected to enjoy meeting a major Democratic winner.
However, Trump became upbeat when Mamdani spoke about the need for more housing in New York. He was also pleased to hear that some people who voted for Trump later voted for Mamdani.
“When we talked to Trump voters, they told us rising living costs were their main concern,” Mamdani said.
Trump agreed and said he is focusing more on affordability and inflation. “Some of his ideas are similar to mine,” Trump said. “The better he does, the happier I am.”
Laughing off old insults in white house meeting
When Mamdani was rising in the polls, Trump threatened to cut federal funding for New York City. Mamdani often criticized Trump’s immigration plans in a city where 40% of residents are foreign-born.
Before the meeting, Trump had called Mamdani a “radical left lunatic,” a communist, and “Jew hater.”
Mamdani is actually a supporter of Nordic-style democratic socialism, not communism. He is a strong critic of Israel’s policies but was endorsed by Jewish politicians, has hired Jewish staff — including future Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch — and has clearly spoken out against antisemitism.
Yet, less than an hour after meeting, Trump defended Mamdani during tough press questions. Both men laughed about their earlier insults.
“I’ve been called worse than a despot,” Trump joked. “He’ll change his mind after we work together.”
A reporter asked Mamdani if he still thought Trump, was a fascist. Trump jumped in and said with a smile, “That’s OK, you can just say yes. It’s easier than explaining.”
Trump calls Mamdani “very rational” in the white house meeting
One reporter asked Trump if he believed he had “a jihadist” standing next to him. Trump strongly denied this.
“No, I don’t,” Trump said. “I met a man who is very rational.”
The friendly meeting surprised many politicians and viewers. Some Republicans said they still did not trust Mamdani. Democratic congresswoman Rashida Talib reacted online, asking, “What just happened?” after seeing a clip of the meeting.
Trump had previously warned New Yorkers not to vote for Mamdani, saying it would destroy a city that some conservative media falsely portray as extremely dangerous — even though New York is one of the safest big cities in America. After his first term as president, Trump moved from New York to Florida.
A reporter asked Trump if he would consider moving back to New York under Mamdani’s leadership.
“Yeah, I would,” Trump said. “Especially after this white house meeting.”
AFFORDABILITY AGENDA of White House Meeting :
Trump and Mamdani said their private meeting focused mainly on the rising cost of living — the key issue that helped Mamdani win the mayoral race. Trump spoke for a long time about lowering the cost of groceries and housing.
“Some of his ideas are similar to mine,” Trump said, adding that he believes some of his supporters voted for Mamdani.
As a former real estate developer, Trump was pleased to hear Mamdani push for more housing in New York. Mamdani also pointed out that his campaign had reached out to Trump voters.
“When we talked to people who voted for President Trump, many of them told us their biggest worry was the cost of living,” Mamdani said.
By focusing on economic issues, both men avoided topics where they strongly disagree, such as immigration and the conflict in Gaza. For Trump, highlighting affordability is also politically smart, as polls show it is the top concern for voters across the country.
The White House has already said that reducing the cost of living will be one of Trump’s main goals next year, especially with midterm elections coming up that will decide whether Republicans keep control of Congress.