Washington — President Trump has known as Zohran Mamdani “my little communist mayor.” Mamdani has vowed to “Trump-proof” New York Metropolis. At the moment, after months of heated rhetoric on either side, the president and the mayor-elect of the nation’s largest metropolis will meet for the primary time on the White Home.
Mamadani, a democratic socialist, does not have a lot in widespread politically with the Republican president. However he known as the assembly “a chance to make the case for New Yorkers” and mentioned he plans to debate financial safety and public security.
“I will be prepared for no matter occurs,” Mamdani mentioned.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned Thursday, “President Trump is keen to satisfy with anybody and speak to anybody and to attempt to do what’s proper on behalf of the American individuals.”
Mamdani used related language, saying his workforce reached out to arrange the assembly “as a result of I’ll work with anybody to make life extra inexpensive for the greater than 8.5 million individuals who name this metropolis residence.”
However typically, their phrases for one another have been extra combative.
Mr. Trump, who grew up in Queens and constructed his enterprise profession in New York Metropolis, has decried the incoming mayor as “a communist lunatic.” Mamdani has blasted the president’s immigration raids and financial insurance policies.
Here is a sampling of what the 2 males have mentioned about one another:
Trump has leaned into calling Mamdani a “communist”
The president has repeatedly referred to Mamdani, a self-identifying democratic socialist, as a communist. He is known as him “my little communist mayor” and a “communist lunatic.”
“Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has simply received the Dem Main, and is on his solution to changing into Mayor. We have had Radical Lefties earlier than, however that is getting slightly ridiculous,” Mr. Trump posted in June.
“I do not know what it’s, however now we have to win the midterms in any other case the entire issues that we have carried out, so lots of them are going to be taken away by the unconventional left lunatics,” the president mentioned forward of Election Day. “I imply, we will find yourself with a communist mayor in New York, are you able to imagine it, a communist? Keep in mind, I’d at all times say we won’t have a socialist elected in our nation.”
Trump has urged Mamdani, a naturalized citizen, could also be within the nation illegally
President Trump — who spent years selling “birther” conspiracies about President Obama — has urged that Mamdani is not within the nation legally, regardless of Mamdani being a naturalized U.S. citizen. Mamdani was born in Uganda and moved to New York Metropolis along with his household at age 7. He gained citizenship in 2018.
“Lots of people are saying he is right here illegally,” he mentioned of Mamdani this summer time. “We’ll have a look at every little thing.”
The president has additionally floated the potential of arresting Mamdani if he tries to maintain U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers from arresting and deporting individuals. If that occurs, the president mentioned, “Nicely then, we’ll must arrest him.”
Trump has threatened to drag federal funding from New York Metropolis
Earlier than Mamdani’s election, Mr. Trump urged New Yorkers to vote for his rival, former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and threatened to drag federal funding from New York Metropolis if Mamdani have been mayor.
“If Communist Candidate Zohran Mamdani wins the Election for Mayor of New York Metropolis, it’s extremely unlikely that I shall be contributing Federal Funds, aside from the very minimal as required, to my beloved first residence,” mentioned Mr. Trump, who spent most of his life in New York earlier than altering his main residency to Florida in 2019.
The Trump administration’s efforts to drag federal funding for initiatives in blue cities and states throughout the federal government shutdown has been met with resistance in court docket.
However after Mamdani received, the president seemed like he may take a distinct method.
“We’ll assist them,” Mr. Trump mentioned. “We would like New York to achieve success. We’ll assist them slightly bit, perhaps.”
Trump mentioned Jews who vote for Mamdani are “silly”
The president mentioned throughout the marketing campaign that any Jews who vote for Mamdani are “silly” due to Mamdani’s positions on Israel and help for Palestinian statehood.
“Any Jewish person who votes for Zohran Mamdani, a confirmed and self professed JEW HATER, is a silly particular person!!!” the president wrote.
Mamdani has mentioned his views have been typically misrepresented. “And admittedly, I feel a lot of it has to do with that I’m the first Muslim candidate to be on the precipice of successful this election,” he mentioned throughout the final debate.
Trump mentioned “Mamdani, or regardless of the hell his title is”
Talking on the America Enterprise Discussion board in Miami on Nov. 5, Mr. Trump introduced up Mamdani whereas speaking concerning the topic of transgender athletes.
“How concerning the weightlifting? 218 kilos by a lady, that is lots to raise over your head. 218 kilos, or no matter, was the document. A person beat the document by 100 kilos. It stood for, like, 17 years or one thing. A person beat the document by 100 kilos. He was a failed male weightlifter, however as a feminine, he did very effectively,” Trump mentioned, mimicking a weightlifter. “Persons are loopy.”
“And Mamdani, regardless of the hell his title is, in New York. He thinks it is fantastic to have males enjoying in ladies’s sports activities,” Mr. Trump mentioned.
Mamdani has mentioned he is able to problem Trump
On the marketing campaign path, Mamdani was extremely important of the president’s immigration crackdown. He is additionally urged the president and his administration are looking for the wealthy.
Throughout his victory speech, Mamdani spoke on to the president: “Donald Trump, since I do know you are watching, I’ve 4 phrases for you: Flip the amount up!” he mentioned to a cheering crowd.
“If anybody can present a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how one can defeat him, it’s the metropolis that gave rise to him,” Mamdani mentioned.
Mamdani mentioned he will not be intimidated by the president.
“His threats are inevitable,” Mamdani mentioned on ABC’s “Good Morning America” the morning after his victory. “This has nothing to do with security, it has to do with intimidation.”
Mamdani has additionally made the argument that Mr. Trump’s insurance policies have made life costlier for New Yorkers.
“The Trump administration continues to seek out new methods to lift prices on all of us,” he mentioned.
Mamdani criticized “transphobic bigotry” from Trump administration
After present New York Mayor Eric Adams urged revising faculty lavatory insurance policies, Mamdani tweeted, “Terrible and harmful to listen to the Mayor echo the transphobic bigotry coming from the Trump administration.”
“It is utterly at odds with the values of our metropolis,” he added.
Mamdani mentioned Trump desires to have him “arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported”
In a social media submit in July, Mamdani mentioned Mr. Trump “simply threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported” over Mamdani’s objections to Mr. Trump’s deportation insurance policies.
“His statements do not simply characterize an assault on our democracy however an try and ship a message to each New Yorker who refuses to cover within the shadows: when you communicate up, they may come for you,” Mamdani wrote. “We won’t settle for this intimidation.”
Mamdani mentioned he’ll work with Trump on any agenda merchandise that advantages New Yorkers
Mamdani says he’ll work with the president on any agenda merchandise that advantages New York Metropolis residents.
“I intend to make it clear to President Trump that I’ll work on any agenda that advantages New Yorkers,” he mentioned in a press availability. “If an agenda hurts New Yorkers, I will even be the primary to say so.”
