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Long tension between the Presidents of the United States
Donald Trump
and elected Mayor of New York City
Zohran Mamdani
melted in a smile-filled meeting at the White House, Friday local time.
The meeting was the first for two figures with opposite political backgrounds, who for months have criticized each other sharply in the media.
Mamdani, a socialist Democrat and state legislator who just won the mayoral election earlier this month, requested a one-on-one meeting with Trump to discuss the two issues that haunt New Yorkers most: the cost of living and public safety.
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However, the public was surprised when the meeting which was expected to be stiff turned warm.Trump even praised Mamdani’s political victory, a rare sentiment from the president towards a figure he once labeled a ‘leftist radical’, a ‘communist’ and even a ‘Jew hater’.
Trump has made all these accusations against Mamdani, although without evidence.
“We agreed on more things than I imagined,” Trump said when inviting journalists into the Oval Office after the closed session.”We have one thing in common, we want this city, which we love, to succeed.”
Mamdani also responded with a similar tone.”This meeting was productive, stemming from respect and love for New York, as well as the urgent need to provide affordability for its citizens,” he said, as reported by Reuters.
From threats to praise
Trump’s attitude has changed significantly in recent days.When Mamdani was ahead in the polls, Trump threatened to cut federal funding for the largest city in the United States.
New York, with 8.5 million residents, four out of 10 of whom are foreign-born, has often become a symbol of national political battles, ranging from immigration issues to crime.
But the tone eased ahead of the meeting.In a radio interview, Trump said, “I’m pretty tough on him. I think we’ll get along. We both want New York to be strong.”
In fact, in Washington, tensions had peaked.Trump’s previous meetings in the Oval Office have often shown unexpected sides, from friendly to confrontational.
But for Mamdani, who the day before his departure admitted he had “many differences” with Trump, the atmosphere this time was actually conducive.
Mamdani, 34, was born in Uganda and will become New York’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor.His victory sparked a major debate within the Democratic Party about the direction of their strategy, especially at a time when the party was out of power in Washington and divided ideologically.
Even though his opponents often label him as extreme, Mamdani actually presents a model of socialist democracy in the style of a Nordic country.He chose pragmatic policies, reducing the costs of housing, basic necessities, transportation, and child care, an issue that is especially relevant when rents in New York are almost double the national average.
On the other hand, economic issues are one of Trump’s weak points.A Reuters/Ipsos survey this week showed that only 26 percent of Americans think Trump has succeeded in managing the cost of living.
Mamdani will be officially inaugurated on January 1.He emphasized that he was ready to work with the president, as long as his policies benefited New Yorkers.
“I will work with President Trump on an agenda that benefits New Yorkers,” he said before leaving for Washington.”But if there are policies that harm citizens, I will be the first to oppose them.”
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