The exchange turned striking when reporters asked Mamdani whether he still viewed Trump as a dictator. Before Mamdani could respond, Trump intervened, saying, “No problem, give him the label. It’s easier than explaining. I don’t care.” He went on to praise Mamdani’s work ethic, brushing aside earlier criticisms he had made during the campaign.
The Republican President and the progressive mayor-elect addressed several contentious issues, including New York’s rising living costs and immigration policy, both central themes of Mamdani’s platform. Mamdani described the conversation as “productive,” noting that the two discussed rent, food prices, utilities, and the overall affordability crisis affecting the city’s 8.5 million residents.
Trump, who once branded Mamdani a “communist lunatic” and “jihadi,” distanced himself from similar remarks made by Republican leaders. When asked if he agreed with the label “jihadi,” Trump responded, “No, I don’t,” adding that Mamdani came across as “calm, sensible, and logical.”
Despite clear ideological differences, Trump said he hoped Mamdani would succeed as mayor, explaining, “The better he does, the happier I’ll be. We want to make New York great again.” He even suggested that Mamdani might “surprise many conservatives,” saying some of the mayor-elect’s ideas align more closely with his own than expected.
Public safety and immigration dominated part of the discussion. Mamdani emphasized protections for New York’s immigrant communities, while Trump stressed the need for safer streets, arguing that “nothing works if the city isn’t safe.”
As both leaders acknowledged divergent viewpoints, they nonetheless expressed a shared commitment to improving New York City. “Either he’ll convince me or I’ll convince him,” Trump said, “but the goal is the samea better New York.”
