Of all the meetings Donald Trump has had this year in the Oval Office, today's meeting with the next mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdami, is likely among the top three most anticipated. But undoubtedly, it is the one that has had the most unexpected outcome. The entire country was prepared for a clash, a fight, for a discussion or at least a more or less open reprimand, but the opposite has happened. For half an hour, both, who until now had only criticized, insulted, and challenged each other, have shown an incredible harmony, in an intervention full of praise, smiles, and even physical signs of complicity.
Trump, engaged, has congratulated the man he normally calls a "lunatic communist," has said that "they agree on more things than I thought" and has defended him on several occasions, ensuring that he would be very comfortable living in New York right now and that he will personally encourage him to "make the city great again." The young politician, a socialist who represents the opposite on all imaginable issues, has been more restrained. Without personal praise for Trump, but with institutional gratitude and a repetitive message about the goals they have in common and not about "the many differences that separate us."
Trump dominates the media timing and the show in front of the cameras. He knows that a fight makes for good television, as he said after an epic argument with Zelenski. But he also loves to unsettle, surprise, and knows that this unexpected display will have a huge media echo. It is only the first contact and he can change his mind and tone at any time and without consequences (in his first meeting in that Oval Office, in 2016, he also said that Obama was a "good person"), but the political consequences are interesting.
Mamdani seems to have achieved an effective way of communicating with the president in this presentation. And above all, useful, because the entire Republican strategy right now for the 2026 legislative elections was being built around the fight against the radicalism of the Democrats, represented precisely by figures like Mamdani. And Trump, in the White House, has whitewashed it. Saying that he doesn't dislike his agenda, that they share a lot. that he is "a very rational person" and not at all "a jihadist" or a dangerous person, as Republicans are saying right now in the city of skyscrapers
In the appearance, both have repeatedly avoided clashing. Opportunities were not lacking. Journalists asked them in every imaginable way about the insults they had directed in the past, about fascism and communism, about the genocide in Israel, about attacks from third parties, about crime, about fear, and even resolutions of Congress. In vain.
"Hopefully, they will have an excellent mayor. The better he does, the happier I will be," said the president. "I have a lot of confidence that he can do a very good job... I think he will surprise some conservatives (...) I think I have met a very rational man, a man who really wants New York to be great again and I think he can achieve it. I assure you that this is his wish and we will be there to encourage him. I will encourage him," Trump concluded.
"I've been called worse things than a despot, it's not so insulting. Maybe he will change his mind when we start working together," the president said even as Mamdani tried to dodge a question about whether he thought he had met with a fascist. "You can tell them yes, it's easier," joked the Republican coming to his aid.
The mayor, without nerves, has repeatedly celebrated being able to talk about "the issue of affordability, the cost of living, and bills". Without hiding from the most controversial questions, but without slips. He came with the speech, the strategy, and the rhythms very well prepared. When asked about immigration raids, they spoke of their common interest in fighting crime. Faced with questions of ideology, a shopping basket.
The interest was maximum, and for obvious reasons. The mayor explained on Tuesday that his team "contacted the White House to organize this meeting because I am willing to collaborate with whoever is necessary to make life more affordable for the more than eight and a half million people living in this city." But tensions, insults, recent threats are very present. Mamdani is not just the mayor of New York, he is the new star of democratic socialism, of a current that pushes to move the Democratic Party to the left and to confront Trump and the MAGA world by making the cost of living the center of the discourse, but without giving up identity politics. "I have many disagreements with the president, and I believe we must be relentless and explore all avenues and hold all meetings that can make our city affordable for each and every New Yorker," he explained.
Since June, Trump has repeatedly said that Mamdami is "a 100% communist lunatic and ridiculous." He has hinted that although he is a naturalized American citizen, he could be in the country illegally, just as he spent years promoting the theory that Barack Obama was Kenyan. And he has threatened to arrest him if he tries to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from arresting and deporting people. In addition to constantly raising the possibility of withdrawing federal funds from the city of New York, "It is very unlikely that I will continue to provide federal funds, except for the bare minimum, to my beloved hometown," he warned.
However, in recent days, he had sent more tepid messages. Offering to help the city. Hours before the meeting, even, the president stated in a radio interview that he did not expect controversies. "I think it will be a fairly cordial meeting. We'll see. He has a different philosophy. He's a bit different, but I give him a lot of credit for his campaign. He had a successful campaign, and we all know that election campaigns are not easy, I think we will get along," he added.
On the eve, his son Eric, on television, had advised Mamdani not to go looking for a show, because others had come to the Oval Office with airs and graces and had come out worse for wear, specifically mentioning the Ukrainian Volodimir Zelenski. "Many people have tried to enter the White House to cause a scandal and stage a big public relations event, and most ended up being ridiculed. We saw it with Zelenski, but I could name about 25 people who tried to be brave, and it didn't go well for them. My father excels better than anyone at that moment, that's Donald Trump at his best. If the guy wants to show off, I think he'll get a punch back, and no one does that better than the commander-in-chief.
On the 4th, in the celebration speech, Mamdami addressed the president directly. "Donald Trump, I know you're listening so raise your voice (...) Today we breathe the air of a reborn city. Tonight New York has spoken with a clear voice: hope is alive. Hope against tyranny, hope against the power of money and petty ideas, hope against despair. We won because New Yorkers allowed themselves to believe that the impossible could become reality," he said. "If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that saw him born," he added, insisting that he would not be intimidated by the president, but acknowledging that the clash with the White House "is not a possibility, it is practically inevitable."
"I'm not exactly sure what he means by 'raising the volume.' He has to be careful when he says that. Does it mean we're going to fight?" he said this Friday before the meeting.