Donald Trump laughs as reporter asks Zohran Mamdani about fascist remark
Donald Trump laughs as reporter asks Zohran Mamdani about fascist remark
US President Donald Trump brushed aside one of Zohran Mamdani’s sharpest past criticisms on Friday, saying it was okay for the New York City mayor-elect to call him a fascist.
The exchange unfolded when a reporter asked Mamdani whether he still believed Trump is a fascist, a label he has used in the past. The mayor-elect began to answer — “I’ve spoken about it” — before Trump jumped in.
“That’s okay,” Trump said, smiling. “He can just say that. It’s easier than explaining it — I don’t mind!”
Mamdani smiled and confirmed “yes” when the reporter repeated the question, prompting a light moment in a meeting that easily could have turned tense. It was a striking gesture from Trump, who had earlier denounced Mamdani as a communist during the mayoral race.
A SURPRISINGLY CORDIAL MEETING
Both men insisted the meeting was productive, with Trump patting Mamdani on the arm as they spoke to reporters. “We talked about a lot of things,” Trump said. “Groceries — an old-fashioned word,” he joked, echoing Mamdani’s affordability-focused campaign. The mayor-elect has proposed city-run grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods, an idea Trump did not directly endorse but did not dismiss either.
Trump also said the two discussed immigration enforcement, an area where their differences are significant. But he sounded confident they could find some agreement. “I think we’re going to work them out,” he said. “He wants to have a safe New York. If there are horrible people there, we want to get them out. I think he wants to get them out maybe more than I do.”
FROM CAMPAIGN JABS TO SHARED GOALS
Both men emphasized their shared interest in reducing crime. “He doesn’t want to see crime and I don’t want to see crime,” Trump said. “I have very little doubt that we’re going to get along on that issue.”
Mamdani said their conversation focused heavily on cost-of-living pressures. “We talked about rent, groceries, utilities — the ways people are being pushed out,” he said. “I appreciated the conversation and look forward to working together to deliver affordability for New Yorkers.”
Trump even said he would feel comfortable living under a Mamdani-led City Hall. “I really would, especially after the meeting,” he said.
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
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