Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani met for a high‑stakes meeting at the White House on Sunday. This was a remarkable step in MAGA politics given the New York City mayor‑elect’s socialist Democrat stance, and the GOP leader even entertaining him at his office in the first place.As the two contrasting poles of the ideological spectrum faced each other, it was expected that Mamdani would find himself in a tough, intimidating environment, with reporters asking questions that reflected what many in the MAGA audience wanted to know about what a left‑leaning Mamdani would do to govern in the wealthiest city in America.At 34, Mamdani will be the youngest New York mayor in more than a century. Trump, a 79‑year‑old POTUS, is the oldest person elected to be commander‑in‑chief.
10 key moments from the Oval Office
‘He will convince me, or I will convince him.’ — POTUSTrump: “There will be topics that we disagree on. I think we’ll probably come to a conclusion. Ultimately, it’s for the good of New York. If this city could be unbelievable — if he could be a spectacular success — I’d be very happy.”“It’s for the good of New York,” Trump said.
‘Communist’ meeting a ‘fascist’
Reporter: Are you affirming that you think President Trump is a fascist?Mamdani: I’ve spoken about—Trump: “That’s okay. You can just say yes. It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.”Both the left‑wing and right‑wing leaders have, at different times, called each other communist and fascist.The press loves MamdaniPOTUS: “The press has eaten this thing up. I’ve had a lot of meetings with the heads of major countries — nobody cared. Outside, you have hundreds of people waiting. For some reason, the press has found this to be a very interesting meeting.”Trump was surprised to see the Oval Office packed with more reporters than usual, with hundreds waiting outside. He said there was less press present when he met leaders of other foreign nations, but for Mamdani, the turnout was far greater.NYC is everything for both“We had a meeting today that actually surprised me… We may disagree on how we get there [on policy],” said @POTUS of his meeting with Mamdani.“I expect to be helping him, not hurting him, because I want NYC to be great. Look, I love NYC. That’s where I come from.”Both leaders expressed their commitment to New York City. Trump emphasised his long‑held sentiment about the city, while Mamdani has repeatedly said that NYC is his top priority.Is Trump comfortable with socialist rule?Q: Would you feel comfortable living in NYC under a Mamdani administration?Trump: “I would. I really would. Especially after meeting him.”Asked what made him comfortable, Trump said he wanted Mamdani to succeed. He added that he and Democrat leader Bernie Sanders shared many views despite being in opposite parties, and said that many Sanders supporters voted for Trump.Immigration and deportationImmigration, a major area where the two differ, was also discussed in “great length.” Mamdani wants to defend New Yorkers, including the large migrant population, while Trump’s hardline stance and ICE deportations have been key issues.POTUS: “He wants to have a safe New York. Ultimately, a safe New York is going to be a great New York. If you don’t have safe streets, it’s not going to be a success.”Trump shuts down ‘jihadist’ claimsReporter: “Elise Stefanik has called Mamdani a ‘jihadist.’ Do you think you’re standing next to a jihadist right now?”Trump: “No, I don’t.” “I met with a man who is a very rational person,” he added. A ‘Pro‑Palestinian’ mayor in ‘Jew York’Mamdani: “I have spoken about the Israeli government committing genocide and our government funding it, and I shared the concern of New Yorkers wanting their tax dollars to benefit New Yorkers. We are in the ninth consecutive year of children being homeless…”Mamdani is a vocal pro‑Palestinian advocate who supports ‘Free Gaza’. He has accused Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of war crimes and has said that if Netanyahu entered New York, he would be arrested at the airport.The true leader of DemocratsTrump was asked if Mamdani is the “true leader” of the Democrats.Trump: “He’s focused on NYC… but YOU answer that! You consider yourself the leader?”Mamdani: “I keep my horizons on New York City.”Mamdani is viewed with scepticism within parts of the Democratic establishment due to his hardline socialist policies. Liberal Democrats often distance themselves from him to avoid being labelled “communist”, while the MAGA base sees him as the ideological opposite of what they want in government.NYPD and crimeNYC mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani has committed to keeping the NYPD’s current staffing level of 35,000 officers.He retained NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch after resolving earlier disagreements over police reforms, despite previously being an advocate of “defund the police”.Many officers left before Mamdani even took office, with some senior officials claiming they expected lower pay under his administration.End NoteIt was a surprising and rather eerie sight to see Trump and Mamdani cooperate on so many issues, given the harsh words they had exchanged about each other before the meeting. Trump is currently under pressure from the H1-B visa rows and facing intense criticism from the MAGA base over his U-turn on the visas, as well as scrutiny over alleged involvement in the Epstein files, which he has consistently denied. Mamdani is also facing challenges, with accusations that he requested funds on his first day in office and criticism from the political left for associating with Tisch, who is seen as pro-Israel. Despite these pressures, both leaders appeared measured during the meeting, with Mamdani responding rapidly and diplomatically to questions, and Trump backing him on points where he struggled. It was a rare and almost unprecedented sight, showing a theoretical kind of coalition in action.
