Newsletters
President Donald Trump said he would "absolutely" live in New York City under incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani, expressing unexpected comfort with the democratic socialist leader of his home state's largest city just hours after Congress voted to denounce the "horrors of socialism."
"We agree on a lot more than I would have thought," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office following their Friday meeting. "I want him to do a great job, and we'll help them do a great job."
The president's enthusiastic endorsement stood in sharp contrast to the political theater that unfolded earlier in the day, when the House of Representatives voted 285-98 to condemn socialism. Republican leaders have pledged to make Mamdani a central target in their 2026 midterm campaign strategy, casting him as the radical face of the Democratic Party.
Trump, a native New Yorker who built his real estate empire in Manhattan before entering politics, told reporters he has always felt comfortable in New York. "I think much more so after the meeting," he added.
The symbolic House resolution passed with support from 86 Democrats who joined Republicans, while two others voted present. Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leaders have sharply criticized Mamdani's election as mayor, citing his far-left politics and democratic socialist affiliation.
Democratic leaders criticized the Republican-written measure, saying it "selectively lists certain despotic leaders and the harms of totalitarian regimes self-labeled as 'socialist,'" but stopped short of formally recommending members vote against it. The tepid response reflected unease among moderate Democrats, particularly from New York, about Mamdani's rise within their party.
Representative Maria Salazar of Florida framed the vote in stark moral terms during floor debate. "This is a moral vote against an ideology that has destroyed millions and millions of families," she said. "Unfortunately, socialism and Marxism crushes the human soul."
The debate was briefly interrupted when Salazar accused Representative Maxine Waters of being a "friend" of late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Waters requested the words be struck from the record, but Salazar withdrew her remarks and proceedings continued.
Trump characterized his meeting with Mamdani as focused on shared priorities, particularly housing construction, food prices, and public safety. When a reporter raised the president's previous threats to send federal troops to New York City, Trump sidestepped the question.
"I think that we have known murderers and known drug dealers and some very bad people," Trump said. "Actually, maybe more than anything else, [Mamdani] wants to have a safe New York. If you don't have safe streets, it's not going to be a success. So we're going to work together."
Mamdani described the meeting as "productive" and "focused on the place of shared admiration and love – which is New York City and the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers." When pressed about his past criticisms of Trump, including calling him a "despot," the mayor-elect said the discussion "focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers."
Trump responded with characteristic levity. "I've been called much worse than a despot. It's not that insulting," he said, adding that Mamdani might "change his mind after we get to working together."
In one notable exchange, Fox News correspondent Jacqui Heinrich pressed Mamdani on whether he considers Trump a "fascist." The president interrupted, tapping Mamdani's arm and offering him an out. "You can just say it, it's easier than explaining it," Trump said.
The cordial tone of the Oval Office meeting surprised observers given the ideological gulf between the two politicians. Democratic socialists generally advocate for expanded government programs, stronger labor protections, and wealth redistribution through higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
Trump told reporters that falling oil prices and his administration's policies would benefit New York. "Anything I do is going to be good for New York," he said.
1 min read
4 min read
