The two had called each other “fascist” and “communist,” but when they became president Donald Trump And the elected mayor of New York City Zahran Mamdani Face the journalists In the Oval Office On Friday, they were just two rebel politicians in New York, all smiles.
The long-awaited showdown showed how politicians’ shared love of New York City — and no doubt some political calculations — can mask months of insults. Both men used a sarcastic, blunt tone tailored to the social media age to make their points, and each left the meeting with something needed.
Here are some takeaways from the look.
Republicans have lost their punching bag — at least for now
Trump’s party has been preparing for a 2026 campaign that warns the Democratic Party will be dominated by people like Mamdani, a 34-year-old Muslim and self-described democratic socialist who may not play well west of the Hudson River. But Trump dropped all that.
“The better Mamdani does, the happier I will be,” Trump, a native New Yorker, said of Mamdani.
Trump denied accusations by Elise Stefanik, the Republican candidate for governor of New York and one of his political allies, that Mamdani, a long-time critic of Israel, is a “jihadist,” saying, “I just met with a very rational man,” adding that they both want peace in the Middle East.
Trump said that he would live happily in New York, where Mamdani lives, in the face of conservative proposals calling on wealthy New Yorkers to flee the city. He praised Mamdani’s decision to retain New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, noting that she is a friend of the president’s daughter, Ivanka. He demurred when asked about Mamdani’s democratic socialism, saying instead that the two had many similar ideas. He indicated – and Mamdani repeatedly emphasized – that they would run for office on the basis of affordability.
It was an inappropriate defense of democratic socialism on the same day that House Republicans passed a resolution condemning socialism with the express intent of embarrassing their rivals for mayor-elect. Trump even heaped some praise on another Republican punching bag, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is also a democratic socialist.
“Bernie Sanders and I agreed on a lot more than people thought,” Trump said. He proudly added that Mamdani was impressed by a painting of famous Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt — another GOP concern — in the Oval Office.
Trump, struggling amid growing dissatisfaction in his first year back in office, may see merit in associating his star with that of the latest incarnation of affordability.
Of course, both Trump and Mamdani are experts in the art of 21st-century political brawling, and Trump is notoriously mercurial, so the thaw may be short-lived. But it’s noticeable while it’s here.
Mamdani’s visit allows Trump to talk about affordability
Over the past few weeks, Trump has struggled to address voters’ concerns about inflation, suggesting that prices are actually low and that any claims otherwise are a “hoax by Democrats.” But Mamdani beat his rivals in the mayoral race by focusing relentlessly on the cost of rent, groceries and other basic necessities — a successful strategy that White House officials have taken note of as they consider next year’s midterm elections.
The president relied on this message in their meeting at the White House, saying that he saw his efforts as complementary. He said that like Mamdani, he also wants to build more housing. The president did not institute any new policies as he repeated his claims that inflation had fallen under his watch.
“Anything I do will be good for New York if I can get prices down,” Trump said. “The new word is affordability. Another word is just grocery. You know, it’s an old-fashioned word, but it’s very accurate. And they’re down. They’re down.”
The challenge facing Trump is whether voters trust that he is tackling inflation honestly. The CPI jumped to an annual rate of 3% compared to 2.3% in April, when the president introduced import taxes on “Emancipation Day.”
Boosting Mamdani’s confidence – with implications for his agenda
Throughout his campaign, Mamdani’s opponents claimed that his far-left politics and relative inexperience would make him an easy target for Trump. Friday’s meeting is likely to allay those concerns, at least for now. Trump seemed quite impressed with Mamdani, describing him as a “very rational man” who “wants to see New York great again.”
“We had some interesting conversations and some of his ideas are the same as mine,” Trump added.
For his part, Mamdani struck a delicate balance: cajoling Trump in broad terms, while avoiding sensitive topics or concessions that might anger his base. He repeatedly pointed out that many of his voters were former Democrats who turned to Trump in previous elections — a line the president seems to like.
The president’s support could help the mayor-elect avoid deploying the New York National Guard, which Trump previously threatened as a possible consequence of his election victory. Trump also indicated that federal funding cuts may be off the table — a move that would give Mamdani a much better chance of achieving his ambitious agenda, which requires increased revenue for programs like universal free child care.
“I want him to do a great job and I will help him do a great job,” Trump said.
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