President Trump cordially joked that it was OK for Zohran Mamdani to call him a “fascist” during his highly anticipated Oval Office meeting with the New York City mayor-elect on Friday.
The lefty Democrat was asked by reporters whether he would walk back his past attack on the Republican president following their 45-minute meeting — where the two said they found lots to agree on, especially the issue of affordability.
“I’ve spoken about…,” Mamdani started to answer — before Trump interjected.
“That’s OK,” Trump said, patting Mamdani on the arm.
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“You can just say yes,” the president joked. “It’s easier than explaining.”
The White House lovefest between the two pols followed months of vitriolic attacks on each other.
In another lighthearted moment, Trump appeared to nearly defend Mamdani when the Democratic Socialists of American member was asked about calling the GOP leader a “despot.”
“I’ve been called much worse than a despot, so it’s not that insulting,” Trump said when Mamdani was asked about his past dig.
Asked whether he would retract his remarks calling Trump a despot in the hopes of improving their relationship, Mamdani said: “I think both President Trump and I, we are very clear about our positions and our views, and what I really appreciate about the President is the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers.”
“And frankly, that is something that could transform the lives of eight and a half million people who are currently struggling under a cost of living crisis, with one in four living in poverty,” he continued. “And the meeting came back again and again to what it could look like to lift those New Yorkers out of struggle and start to deliver them a city that they could do more than just struggle to afford it, but actually start to live in it.”
