Trump, Mamdani Hold ‘Productive’ Oval Office Meeting Despite Tensions

President Donald Trump met New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the Oval Office on Friday, where the two leaders held a long and detailed discussion about the city’s major challenges. Both Trump and Mamdani later described the meeting as positive, constructive, and focused on issues that urgently affect millions of New Yorkers.

The meeting took place in Washington, D.C., as Mamdani prepares to take office as the next mayor of New York City. Their conversation covered rising living costs, housing shortages, and economic pressure on families — topics that have been central to Mamdani’s campaign.

A Surprising Exchange Over Past Criticisms

One moment from the meeting quickly drew attention. During his election campaign, Mamdani had openly called Trump a “fascist.” When reporters asked if he still believed that, Mamdani began to answer carefully, saying, “I’ve spoken about it…,” but President Trump quickly interrupted.

“That’s okay. You can just say yes,” Trump said with a smile. “It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.”

The exchange showed an unexpectedly calm and tolerant tone from Trump, which surprised many observers. Despite the strong political differences between them, both leaders appeared relaxed and willing to work together.

Trump Calls the Meeting “Great and Productive”

After the meeting, Trump praised Mamdani’s election victory and said their discussion was filled with common ground.

“We’ve just had a great meeting, a really good, very productive meeting,” Trump said. “One thing in common — we want this city of ours that we love to do very well.”

Trump said the two talked about:

• The growing housing crisis

• The need to build more affordable homes

• Rising food prices

• The cost of essential goods

• Economic pressure on families

Trump added that he believes Mamdani could surprise people on both sides of the political spectrum.

“I think you’re going to have a really great mayor,” Trump said. “The better he does, the happier I am. I think he is going to surprise some conservative people and some very liberal people.”

Mamdani Highlights Urgent Cost-of-Living Issues

Standing next to Trump, Mamdani agreed that the meeting was focused on shared priorities for New Yorkers.

“I appreciated the meeting with the president,” Mamdani said. “It was a productive meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love — New York City.”

Mamdani said they discussed the rising cost of living that is forcing many families to leave the city.

He listed several major concerns:

• High rent

• Expensive groceries

• Increasing utility bills

• Everyday costs making life unaffordable

“We spoke about rent, we spoke about groceries, we spoke about utilities. We spoke about the different ways in which people are being pushed out,” Mamdani said. He added that he looks forward to working with the president to improve affordability and keep families in New York.

Both Leaders Signal Willingness to Work Together

The meeting ended on a cooperative note, with both Trump and Mamdani expressing hope for continued dialogue. While they come from very different political backgrounds, their shared goal of helping New York City appears to have brought them closer.

With Mamdani set to take office soon, the meeting signals a potentially significant partnership between the White House and New York City’s next administration.