From 'nut job' to 'rational man': Trump's U-turn on Mamdani
What's the story
In a surprising turn of events, United States President Donald Trump has praised New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. The two had previously exchanged barbs over immigration and economic policies during the mayoral election campaign. However, their recent meeting at the White House was marked by compliments rather than jabs. "I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually," Trump said about Mamdani in a video from their Oval Office meeting.
Political bromance
Trump defends Mamdani against fascist label
Trump also defended Mamdani against his past comments, in which he called the president a fascist. "I've been called much worse than a despot," he said, adding that he doesn't mind if Mamdani stands by his earlier remarks. "So it's not that insulting, but I think he'll change his mind after we get to working together," he said. The meeting focused on their shared purpose of serving New Yorkers, with both leaders agreeing on several issues despite their political differences.
Common goals
Mamdani appreciates meeting's focus on shared purpose
Mamdani appreciated the meeting for focusing on their common goals instead of differences. He said, "What I really appreciate about the president is that 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." This unexpected camaraderie has left political commentators and lawmakers surprised.
Online reaction
Meeting sparks memes and jokes online
At one point, when a reporter asked Mamdani why he flew to Washington instead of taking transportation that used less fuel, Trump jumped in to defend the young politician. "I'll stick up for you," Trump said. The meeting has sparked a flurry of memes and jokes on social media. One user joked about how close Mamdani was to "pork" after the meeting, while another joked that Trump would become a communist after his encounter with the NYC Mayor-elect.