Trump Meets with New York Mayor Who Called Him a 'Dictator'

Trump received the elected New York City Mayor Zohraan Mamdani in the Oval Office: "We just had a wonderful meeting with Mamdani. We have a common goal; we want the city to thrive. I want to congratulate the mayor. He ran an incredible campaign and easily defeated everyone," said the President of the United States.

Trump was reminded that Mamdani referred to him as a 'dictator': "I have been called much worse. It’s not that offensive. I think he will change his opinion after we have the chance to work together," said the White House leader.

A reporter asked, "Do you confirm that you think President Trump is a fascist?" Mamdani replied, "I've already spoken about that." Trump interjected, "Everything is fine. You can just say 'yes.' It’s easier than explaining everything. I don’t mind." Their first personal meeting was much friendlier than reporters had anticipated, considering that both politicians had previously made harsh remarks about each other.

According to BBC correspondent Bernd Debusmann Jr. in Washington, Trump was very amiable. "We will help him," said the U.S. President, adding that he and Mamdani "agree on many issues more than he might have thought."

"We have one common thing; we both wish great success for our city, which we love," announced Trump.

"I greatly appreciate the fact that during our meeting we focused not on the disagreements, which are many, but on our common goal of serving the residents of New York," said Mamdani.

The Democratic candidate Mamdani won a convincing victory in the New York City mayoral elections earlier this November. On the eve of the elections, Trump stated that his election should not be allowed, calling for votes not for his party's candidate, but for Democratic Party member Andrew Cuomo, who had lost to Mamdani in the primaries that summer.

Mamdani identifies himself as a democratic socialist and is considered a fairly left-leaning politician; among other things, he advocates for the establishment of a public grocery store system, supports minority and immigrant rights, and is a strong critic of Israel. "We broke the political dynasty." Why Zohraan Mamdani won the New York mayoral elections and what it means for the U.S. Democratic Party: Trump had called Mamdani a communist and threatened to limit federal funding to New York should he win. Mamdani described Trump as a "dictator" and "fascist." However, the mood during their meeting at the White House was surprisingly positive, reporters noted.