• Zohran Mamdani calls Trump a fascist despite their friendly meeting.
• Mamdani emphasizes the need to address affordability issues for New Yorkers.
• Trump and Mamdani engaged in discussions about cooperation on city challenges.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani firmly reiterated his belief that President Donald Trump is a fascist, despite the unexpectedly friendly atmosphere of their recent White House meeting. During an NBC interview on Sunday, Mamdani affirmed, “That’s something that I’ve said in the past; I say it today,” highlighting his consistent stance even after the cordial interaction with Trump just days prior, according to HuffPost and Al Jazeera.

The remarkable meeting saw Trump, who has previously criticized Mamdani as a “100% Communist Lunatic,” complimenting him and expressing a willingness to work on shared priorities, particularly those affecting New Yorkers. Mamdani appreciated this approach, stating, “we were not shy about the places of disagreement,” thus underscoring the importance of acknowledging differing views while focusing on resolving urban issues, according to ABC News.

Throughout their interaction, both Trump and Mamdani outlined their agreement on several critical issues, including housing and child care affordability, with Trump even offering praise for Mamdani’s election victory. This was quite the contrast to the months of harsh rhetoric that preceded this meeting, where Trump had threatened to withhold federal funding if Mamdani was elected, a point noted by HuffPost and Al Jazeera.

Upon discussing their meeting, Mamdani stated his intention to focus on establishing a productive relationship centered around the affordability crisis in New York City. This comes as he acknowledges the need for cooperation while maintaining his criticism of Trump’s presidency. “I found the meeting that I had with the president a productive one,” Mamdani elaborated, emphasizing their commitment to New Yorkers' pressing concerns, according to ABC News and Al Jazeera.