‘Communist Vs Fascist’ Feud Melts Into A Surprisingly Warm Trump-Mamdani Meet: Key Highlights

Last Updated:November 22, 2025, 10:46 IST

What was expected to be a tense face-off between Trump and Mamdani instead unfolded as a calm, joke-filled discussion centred on New York’s cost-of-living crisis and public safety

For months, a self-described democratic socialist who once called Donald Trump a “fascist" and “despot" and a US President who labelled him a “100% Communist Lunatic", “Jew hater" and “total nut job" looked destined for a dramatic collision. Instead, when the two finally sat together in the Oval Office on Friday, what many expected to be a confrontation opened with jokes, soft tones, and a display of common ground that would have been unthinkable even weeks ago.

From Months Of Insults To An Unexpectedly Cordial Oval Office Encounter

The meeting had been billed as a face-off between two men who had publicly torn into each other for months. US President Donald Trump had repeatedly attacked New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani during the New York mayoral campaign. Mamdani, in turn, had called Trump’s administration “authoritarian", described himself as “Donald Trump’s worst nightmare", and referred to the president as a “despot" and “fascist."

But inside the Oval Office, the expected tension gave way to an almost disarmingly friendly tone. Trump brushed off the “despot" remark by saying, “I’ve been called much worse than a despot," and added that Mamdani might “change his mind once he gets to know me." The two even laughed off past insults, and Trump placed a hand on Mamdani’s shoulder as he told reporters, “I think you’re going to have, hopefully, a really great mayor," adding, “The better he does, the happier I am."

Reporters repeatedly tried to steer the pair back to their old animosities, pointing to the sharp exchanges of the last year. But instead of sparring, both kept circling back to shared priorities.

A Sudden Display Of Common Ground On Affordability And Safety

Despite their ideological distance, the two repeatedly emphasised areas where they aligned — primarily affordability, the issue that shaped Mamdani’s campaign. Trump said, “We’ve just had a great meeting, a very productive meeting. We have one thing in common — We want this city of ours that we love to do very well."

They discussed the cost of groceries, utilities, healthcare, housing and pressures faced by residents in what Mamdani described as the most expensive city to live in. Mamdani said the meeting was “focused on a place of shared admiration and love, which is New York City, and the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers who are struggling to afford it."

Safety was the other major theme where both signalled alignment. Trump said, “He wants to have a safe New York. Ultimately, a safe New York is going to be a great New York." He added, “He doesn’t want to see crime, and I don’t want to see crime."

Trump Signalled Support For The Man He Once Called A ‘Communist Lunatic’

Throughout the conversation, Trump made clear that he intended to work with Mamdani, despite the rhetoric he used during the campaign. He said, “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him," and added, “We are going to be helping him to make everybody’s dream come true."

He also praised Mamdani’s election victory, saying, “I want to congratulate the mayor. He really ran an incredible race against some very tough people, very smart people." Trump said Mamdani would “surprise some conservative people, actually," and noted that “Some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have."

At one point, he said he would be comfortable living in New York under a Mamdani administration.

Mamdani Chose Diplomacy

Mamdani did not retreat from his past criticism but avoided any attempt to escalate it. When asked whether he still believed Trump was a “despot", he said, “I think both President Trump and I, we are very clear about our positions and our views."

He repeatedly redirected contentious questions back to affordability, the central theme of his political message. When asked about earlier comments on US policy in Gaza, he said, “I told the president that so much of the focus of the campaign has been on the cost of living."

He also noted that many Trump supporters backed him during the campaign, saying, “I can tell you that there were more New Yorkers who voted for President Trump in the most recent presidential election because of that focus on cost of living."

The Political Stakes Were High For Both

Both leaders entered the meeting with vested interests. Mamdani, who had sought advice from senior Democrats beforehand, faced the reality that federal cooperation would be essential for passing his budget and delivering on his agenda. Trump, who has deep personal and financial ties to New York, had little to gain from an open feud with the incoming mayor of the country’s most visible city.

The encounter also undercut Republican efforts to present Mamdani as a dangerous extremist. Despite weeks of attacks from party figures, Trump chose not to amplify those lines in the Oval Office. When asked whether he agreed with claims that Mamdani was a “jihadist", Trump said, “No, I don’t."

The Oval Office interaction effectively softened the ideological battle lines the two had drawn for months.

Who Said What: Key Quotes

Donald Trump

“We’ve just had a great meeting, a very productive meeting. We have one thing in common — We want this city of ours that we love to do very well."“I want to congratulate the mayor. He really ran an incredible race against some very tough people, very smart people."“I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually."“The better he does, the happier I am. We are going to be helping him to make everybody’s dream come true."“He wants to have a safe New York. Ultimately, a safe New York is going to be a great New York."“Some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have."“We agree on a lot more than I would’ve thought."“I think this mayor can do some things that are going to be really great."

Zohran Mamdani

“It was a productive meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love, which is New York City."“We spoke about groceries, utility, and different ways the people are being pushed."“I told the president that so much of the focus of the campaign has been on the cost of living."

News explainers ‘Communist Vs Fascist’ Feud Melts Into A Surprisingly Warm Trump-Mamdani Meet: Key Highlights

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