Trump praises Mamdani at White House talks, vows support for a ‘safe New York’ tone shifts
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Friday welcomed NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to the White House, according to the media reports.
Both called the discussions productive, with Trump praised Mamdani and promised support for a safer New York.
Trump tone shifted more calm as he welcomed New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to the White House.
The meeting marked a shift from the tense exchanges that defined the long and bitter mayoral campaign.
Both leaders later described the discussion as constructive. Trump told reporters it had been a “great meeting,” added that “the better he does, the happier I am.”
He said he felt “confident” Mamdani could do a “good job” leading the country’s largest city.
Mamdani echoed that sentiment, called it a “productive meeting” and noting that the conversation was “not on places of disagreement, which there are many, but focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers.”
Trump said the discussion focused heavily on public safety and immigration enforcement.
He stressed that the administration would prioritize “murderers, drug dealers and some very bad people,”
Trump added “we want to get him out, and the mayor wants to have peace…we’re going to work together. I think he wants to get them out, maybe more than I do.”
Trump had softened his stance publicly hours before the meeting.
He said he believed both he and Mamdani “will get along fine,” even though the mayor-elect had a “different philosophy.” He added that both leaders wanted to “make New York strong,” in an interview on Fox News
The shift followed Trump’s reaction to Mamdani’s election-night speech, in which the mayor-elect told him to “turn the volume up” on the television.
“So, hear me, President Trump, when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us,” Mamdani had said.
Trump admitted he had targeted Mamdani “a little too hard” on the trail.
“It was…hard to be totally friendly toward the opponent…he had some interesting opponents, but he ran a good race. I don’t know exactly what he means by turn the volume up…He has to be careful what he says that to me…he was very nice in calling…and we’re gonna have a meeting…I think it’s going to be quite civil,” he said.
The White House’s tone had been far sharper the previous day, when officials described Mamdani as a “communist.”
Trump used similar language while predicting economic and social decline if Mamdani won throughout the campaign.
He even endorsed Mamdani’s opponent, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent.
, Mamdani defeated Cuomo by 9% points on November 4, became the first Democratic socialist elected mayor of New York City.
