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Does trump like mamdani?
Executive summary
President Trump publicly praised New York City mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani after a warm Oval Office meeting on Nov. 21, 2025, saying he “agrees a lot more than I would have thought” and that he would be “a big help” to Mamdani [1] [2]. Multiple outlets described the encounter as conciliatory — Trump lavished praise and pledged cooperation on housing, affordability and public‑safety issues despite months of prior insults and threats [3] [4] [5].
1. From insults to praise: the transformation in tone
For months before the meeting, Trump publicly attacked Mamdani — calling him a “communist,” a “100% Communist Lunatic” and predicting disaster for New York under his leadership — and even suggested withholding federal funds or using the National Guard [6] [4]. The Oval Office encounter, however, produced a striking tonal shift: reporters and multiple outlets reported Trump defending and praising Mamdani, saying he found common ground and would help the incoming mayor [5] [1] [7].
2. What Trump actually said and did in public
On camera after the private meeting, Trump complimented Mamdani, said he would be “very, very comfortable” living in New York with Mamdani as mayor, and repeatedly characterized the session as productive — even “great” — while promising federal cooperation on issues like utilities and cost‑of‑living concerns [8] [2] [4]. The New York Times and Reuters reported Trump said he expected to be “a big help” and lavished praise on Mamdani [1] [3].
3. Why the meeting mattered beyond cordiality
Journalists highlighted that the meeting was substantive, not merely symbolic: both men publicly agreed to explore cooperation on housing affordability, energy costs, public safety and fallout from the Israel‑Hamas war — areas where federal resources and city governance intersect [4] [3]. Observers framed this as an early test of Mamdani’s ability to negotiate with a president who controls funding the city depends on [9].
4. Competing narratives in coverage: praise vs. political theater
News outlets consistently described the meeting as cordial, but framed it differently: some emphasized sincere cooperation (Reuters, CNN, BBC) while others noted the political spectacle — a Republican president praising a democratic socialist mayor‑elect he had vilified, which could be seen as strategic or performative [3] [4] [2]. Axios and Fox underscored how Trump publicly defended Mamdani to reporters, suggesting an intentional reframing of prior rhetoric [5] [10].
5. What this does — and doesn’t — prove about Trump’s private views
Available sources document Trump’s public praise at and after the meeting, but they do not reveal his private, unreported sentiments beyond the event; outlets report his conciliatory remarks and pledges of help, not his off‑camera beliefs [1] [8]. Therefore, while public behavior at the Oval Office indicates warmth and willingness to cooperate, available reporting does not mention Trump’s unfiltered private opinion beyond those statements [8] [3].
6. Context: history of mutual attacks and the political stakes
Reporting reminds readers that the cordial moment follows a heated campaign in which Trump tried to influence the mayoral outcome (endorsing an opponent), questioned Mamdani’s citizenship, and threatened punitive federal action if Mamdani took office — moves that raise stakes about federal‑city relations and suggest political motivations behind both confrontation and conciliation [6] [11]. The meeting thus serves both policy and optics: cooperation can deliver federal help, but it also recalibrates political messaging before Mamdani assumes office [9] [12].
7. How different outlets framed the event — and what to watch next
Mainstream outlets (NYT, Reuters, BBC, CNN, NPR) emphasized the unexpected warmth and policy overlap; conservative outlets (Fox, Axios coverage noted by some) likewise highlighted the praise but often cast it as surprising given prior attacks [1] [3] [10] [5]. The key follow‑ups to watch are concrete federal actions (funding commitments, interagency cooperation) and whether both sides sustain the civility once contentious issues like immigration enforcement resurface [4] [7].
8. Bottom line for the original question — “Does Trump like Mamdani?”
Based on available reporting, President Trump publicly expressed praise and a willingness to help Mamdani after their Oval Office meeting, indicating a notable degree of public goodwill and cooperation [1] [5]. However, given the long record of prior attacks and threats, coverage leaves open whether that warmth reflects a durable personal liking, a strategic political calculation, or both — available sources do not mention Trump’s private, long‑term feelings beyond his post‑meeting statements [6] [8].