Zohran Mamdani, the self-styled democratic socialist and mayor-elect of New York City, stood by his characterization of President Donald Trump as a “fascist” during his first interview following Friday’s Oval Office meeting. At the same time, however, Mamdani did not eschew political civility, acknowledging that to dwell in the significant chasm between him and the president of the United States does nothing to help New Yorkers.
Mamdani stands by ‘fascist’ claims
During an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” conducted on Saturday, Mamdani was asked if he still believes Trump is a “fascist” and a “despot,” following their surprisingly cordial Oval Office meeting on Friday.
“That’s something I’ve said in the past and I say today,” Mamdani told host Kristen Welker. “And I think what I appreciated about the conversation that I had with the president was that we were not shy about the places of disagreement, about the politics that has brought us to this moment, and we also wanted to focus on what it could look like to deliver on a shared analysis of an affordability crisis for New Yorkers.”
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
Reporters who were ushered into the Oval Office following the meeting were taken aback during one exchange, when a reporter asked Mamdani if he still believed Trump was a fascist.
While Mamdani was answering the question, Trump interrupted, saying, “That’s OK, you can just say it. It’s easier, it’s easier than explaining it.” The reporter was referencing Mamdani’s victory speech, in which he vowed to “reject Donald Trump’s fascism.”
Delivering for New Yorkers
To say that the cordial meeting, filled with smiles and friendly gestures, threw the mediasphere off balance would be something of an understatement, with outlets both inside and outside the U.S. describing it as a “meet-cute,” a “bromance” and “bizarrely chummy.”
Nevertheless, Mamdani on Saturday said his mission was simple –– deliver for New Yorkers.
“I thought again and again about what it would mean for New Yorkers if we could establish a productive relationship that would focus on the issues that those New Yorkers stay up late at night thinking about,” Mamdani said. “When you actually ask New Yorkers and you listen to them, you hear it come back to the issues that animated not just the conversation the president and I had with the press after our meeting, but frankly, in the meeting itself.”
Meeting with Trump was not the first time Mamdani had faced down someone who was skeptical and critical of him. During the campaign, Mamdani explained, he would seek out constituents who voted for Trump in 2024.
“I shared with the president that when I asked those New Yorkers why did they vote for the president, they told me again and again, it was cost of living, cost of living, cost of living,” Mamdani said. “And when the president and I were speaking, we were speaking about what is preventing from delivering on that affordability agenda.”
Recapping Friday’s meeting
While Friday’s meeting was held behind closed doors, the White House invited reporters inside to ask questions afterward.
The president praised Mamdani’s campaign and said he wants the mayor-elect to succeed. Mamdani, in turn, called the meeting “productive” and said they focused on making New York City more affordable for the millions of people who live there.
The two discussed rent, grocery prices and power costs, with Trump saying that those are issues both of them agree need to be fixed.
“We talked about some things in very strong common,” the president said, “like housing and getting housing built, and food prices. The price of oil is coming way down.”
Despite previously criticizing Mamdani’s plans for America’s largest metropolis, when asked if he would feel comfortable living in New York City under the mayor-elect, Trump said he would.
“I would feel very, very comfortable being in New York,” Trump said. “I really would — especially after the meeting, absolutely.”
