Rabat – US President Donald Trump met with incoming New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani yesterday in the Oval Office to discuss the potential policies of the mayor and his general campaign points.
Despite their well-known contention, the common ground that the mayor and president found was their “admiration and love for New York City,” said Mamdani. They continued to return to one topic of discussion: the cost of living in New York City.
Being the mayor of NYC is a “big deal,” Trump acknowledged, adding that he was “confident that [Mamdani] can do a good job. I think he’s going to surprise some conservatives, actually.” In true Trump fashion, he expressed optimism in the city’s real estate potential, referring to Mamdani’s plan to build more housing.
Press picks them apart
When asked about their “controversial” remarks about each other and larger policy points, both Mamdani and Trump circled back to their focus on the cost of living crisis and the somewhat vague discussions that went at “great lengths.”
Mamdani was asked about his supposed statements in which he called Trump a fascist, at which point the president interrupted: “That’s ok. You can just say yes.”
The mayor provided further clarification on a number of his statements and policies. “Absolutely not,” said Mamdani, when asked whether he would impose higher taxes on white-majority neighborhoods. And he continued to be transparent about his democratic socialist stances.
Foreign policy
Mamdani’s pro-Palestine views have been clear from the beginning. Meanwhile, President Trump brushed off questions regarding the Middle East – namely Israel and Palestine.
Trump vaguely referred to his work towards “peace in the Middle East,” while Mamdani maintained that he believed the Israeli government was committing genocide in Gaza.
Serving the people of NYC
Mamdani said he “appreciated that the meeting was not so much on disagreements” but rather on serving the people of NYC.
He ultimately blamed the “broken system of politics” in NYC that both himself and the president entered into and emphasized that the agreed goal was “no crime” and a lower cost of living for the city.
