President Trump’s assembly with incoming New York Metropolis Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday was not anticipated to be heat and congenial. The 2 politicians agree on little or no, and so they’ve lobbed assaults at one another for months, with Mr. Trump calling Mamdani a “100% communist lunatic” and Mamdani describing himself as “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare.”
However as an alternative, the 2 males appeared to hit it off. In a surreal 30-minute Oval Workplace look, Mr. Trump lavished Mamdani with reward, calling him “very rational” and predicting he might do “actually nice” issues for his or her shared hometown. Mamdani, standing beside Mr. Trump, steered away from criticizing the president — generally with an help from Mr. Trump himself — and pledged to work with the administration on cost-of-living points.
Listed below are the highlights:
“I feel you are going to have, hopefully, a extremely nice mayor”
Mr. Trump was unceasingly optimistic about Mamdani, saying that in a non-public one-on-one assembly earlier than their public look, the 2 males agreed on greater than he anticipated. He pointed to Mamdani’s deal with affordability and said want to construct extra housing.
“I feel you are going to have, hopefully, a extremely nice mayor,” the president stated. “The higher he does, the happier I’m.”
“I feel he’s going to shock some conservative folks”
Days earlier than the election, Mr. Trump had inspired folks to vote for Mamdani’s chief rival, Democratic governor-turned-independent Andrew Cuomo.
However on Friday, the president stated: “I really feel very assured that he can do an excellent job…I feel he’s going to shock some conservative folks, truly. And a few very liberal folks, he will not shock them as a result of they already like him.”
“I anticipate to be serving to him, not hurting him”
For months, Mr. Trump has flirted with reducing off federal monetary assist to New York Metropolis if Mamdani wins, suggesting it will be a waste.
After their assembly, Mr. Trump did not totally again away from the menace, however stated it was unlikely.
“I anticipate to be serving to him, not hurting him,” Mr. Trump stated. “An enormous assist. As a result of I need New York Metropolis to be nice. Look, I really like New York Metropolis, it is the place I come from, I spent a number of years there. I feel this mayor might do some issues which can be going to be actually nice.”
Does Mamdani assume Trump is a fascist? “That is okay, you possibly can simply say sure,” president says
At varied factors, reporters pressed Mamdani on whether or not he stands by his prior assaults on Mr. Trump — and the president helped him dodge.
One reporter requested Mamdani if he believes Mr. Trump is a “fascist.” Because the incoming mayor started to reply, the president laughed and reduce him off.
“That is okay, you possibly can simply say sure,” Mr. Trump interjected, patting Mamdani on the arm. “That is simpler. It is simpler than explaining it. I do not thoughts.”
Earlier within the assembly, Mamdani was requested if he nonetheless believes Mr. Trump is a “despot.”
Stated Mr. Trump: “I have been known as a lot worse than a despot, so it is not that insulting. I feel he’ll change his thoughts after we get to working collectively.”
“He is acquired views that [are] just a little on the market, however who is aware of”
The president additionally deflected when requested about his declare that Mamdani is a “communist.”
Stated Mr. Trump: “He is acquired views that [are] just a little on the market, however who is aware of. I imply, we will see what works.”
“He’ll change, additionally. All of us change. I modified loads,” the president continued.
Mamdani describes himself as a democratic socialist, not a communist. He stood by that label on Friday.
Trump: Mamdani is not a “jihadist,” he is “very rational”
Earlier this month, GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik — a candidate for governor of New York — known as Mamdani an “Antisemite Jihadist Communist.”
Requested if he agrees that Mamdani is a “jihadist,” Mr. Trump stated no.
“I met with a person who’s a really rational particular person. I met with a person who actually needs to see New York be nice once more,” the president continued.
“I might really feel very, very comfy being in New York”
Mr. Trump — a Queens native whose main residence is now in Florida — stated he’d really feel comfy transferring again to New York Metropolis below Mamdani’s management.
“I might really feel very, very comfy being in New York, and I feel rather more so after the assembly,” he stated.
The pair’s views on crime and immigration enforcement got here up repeatedly on Friday. The president expressed confidence in Mamdani: He stated he believes the mayor-elect cares about public security, and praised Mamdani for selecting to retain New York Metropolis Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
“That is a great signal,” the president stated.
Trump: “A whole lot of my voters truly voted for him, and I am okay with that”
Mamdani identified that Mr. Trump’s vote share in New York Metropolis jumped final 12 months, which he attributed principally to worries about affordability. And the mayor-elect famous that he swept up some Trump voters, which the president appreciated.
“He stated a number of my voters truly voted for him, and I am okay with that,” the president stated.
“I feel he is completely different than your typical man”
Mr. Trump, for his half, praised Mamdani for the previous state legislator’s sudden come-from-behind victory within the Democratic main.
“He got here out of nowhere,” stated the president. “I watched. I stated, ‘Who is that this man?'”
Left unmentioned have been the parallels with Mr. Trump’s personal rebel victory within the 2016 Republican main.
Requested why Mamdani has drawn a lot enthusiasm, Mr. Trump stated: “I feel he is completely different than your typical man, runs, wins, turns into mayor perhaps and nothing thrilling.”
At one other level, Mr. Trump known as being mayor a “large deal,” saying, “one of many issues I might’ve beloved to be sometime is the mayor of New York Metropolis.”
