WASHINGTON—President Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, two singular forces in U.S. politics who have spent months antagonizing one another, set aside their differences—for now—following a meeting at the White House on Friday.

“I feel very confident that he can do a very good job,” Trump told reporters after the meeting. “I think he is going to surprise some conservative people.”

Both men largely avoided directly criticizing each other in front of live television cameras. “I appreciated the time with the president,” Mamdani said, standing in the Oval Office next to Trump, who was seated at his desk.

When a reporter asked about Mamdani’s previous comment calling Trump a despot, the president quipped, “I’ve been called much worse than a despot, so it’s not that insulting.”

Pressed on whether he believed that Trump was a fascist, Trump interjected before the mayor-elect could answer. “That’s okay. You can just say ‘yes.’ It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind,” Trump said, while tapping him on the arm. The president later said he would feel comfortable living in New York, adding, “and I think much more so after the meeting.”

U.S. President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speak to members of the media as they meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., November 21, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

The two men have cultivated loyal followings while espousing polar opposite views of the world. They have also used one another as foils to galvanize their base. Before the meeting, Trump sought to lower tensions, saying in an interview with Fox News Radio that he expected their discussion to be “quite civil.”

In a sign of the spectacle surrounding the visit, a large group of administration staff stood atop a staircase at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to watch Mamdani’s arrival, and dozens of reporters stood outside the West Wing.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who rose from obscurity over the past year on a message of affordability and taxing the wealthy, has been called a communist and an antisemite by Trump. The president previously threatened to withhold federal funding and deploy National Guard troops to New York City if Mamdani were elected. He backed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo , a moderate Democrat and Mamdani’s main rival in the mayoral race.

The mayor-elect has accused Trump of being a despot—and has delighted in getting under the president’s skin. “ Donald Trump , since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you, turn the volume up,” Mamdani, 34 years old, said during his election night victory speech earlier this month.

Mamdani, who enters office Jan. 1, has taken a more measured tone since he won this month’s mayoral election, offering to work with elected officials from both sides of the aisle. On Thursday, he dismissed speculation that Trump would seek to embarrass him. “I’m not concerned about this meeting,” he said. “I view this meeting as an opportunity to make my case.”

Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Mamdani called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) asking for advice, according to a person familiar with the conversation.

Mamdani requested Friday’s sit-down to talk to Trump about fixing the city’s affordability crisis. His supporters and Trump voters have common ground on the issue, according to Mamdani. “It behooves me to ensure that I leave no stone unturned to make the city more affordable,” he said.

Some Republican lawmakers and political strategists have encouraged Trump to focus on the high cost of living, warning that the GOP could face deep losses in next year’s midterm elections if voters believe the president isn’t taking their concerns about prices seriously. Trump has bristled at the notion that he hasn’t done enough on the issue, pointing to efforts to attract foreign investment.

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday asked for patience on the economy. “We get it and we hear you, and we know that there’s a lot of work to do,” Vance said during a Breitbart News event. “As much progress as we’ve made, it’s going to take a little time for Americans to feel that.”

Robert Wolf , former chairman and chief executive of UBS Americas and informal adviser to Mamdani, said he had a 45-minute Zoom call with the mayor-elect on Thursday in advance of the White House meeting. One point of discussion was that Mamdani and Trump share the view that a vibrant New York City economy strengthens the nation.

Mamdani’s outreach to Trump has heartened the city’s business community, Wolf added.

Both Trump and Mamdani jabbed at one another throughout the mayoral race. “I am Donald Trump’s worst nightmare as a progressive Muslim immigrant who actually fights for the things that I believe in,” Mamdani said during a mayoral debate.

Trump has raised concerns about the effect Mamdani’s policies will have on the local economy and public safety. Those concerns echo those of some members of the city’s business community. Mamdani wants to freeze rent, expand free child care and create a free bus service, while increasing taxes on corporations and the city’s wealthiest.

Some Mamdani supporters feared Trump would seize the meeting as a chance to belittle the mayor-elect, much as he did with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during an Oval Office visit earlier this year. During that tense conversation, Trump and Vance dressed down Zelensky on live television.