Hell Just Froze Over: Trump & Mamdani Have Oval Office Love-In At First Meeting

As much as Donald Trump avoids face-to-face confrontation, a bromance between POTUS and Zohran Mamdani was probably not on anyone’s bingo card today.

In the end, the much-hyped meeting Friday between the two guys from Queens, NYC was full of praise and promise in front of the cameras. In fact, a smiling Trump gave the NYC mayor-elect an affectionate pat on the arm and told Mamdani “you can say yes” and added “it’s easier than explaining” as the latter was asked if he thought the ex-Apprentice host was a “fascist.”

Centering on the topic of affordability, a foundation of Mamdani’s outside campaign and landslide victory earlier this month, Trump added, “Some of his ideas are the same ideas I have.”

“He wants to see no crime, rents coming down — all things I agree with,” Trump said of Mamdani, who takes office on January 1. “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him.”

“We agree on a lot more than I would have thought,” a measured Trump continued, citing the support he got at the ballot box from Bernie Sanders supporters in the 2016 election. “I really think he had a chance to do a great job.”

Covered on every cable newser and online, the media availability came after a nearly hourlong sit-down between the two (previously) sworn political enemies both declared “we want this city of ours that we love to do very well,” as Trump affirmed. Though it wasn’t all wine and roses, as both men squirmed a bit when the topic of ICE raids and crime came up — though they weaved away from the conflict to the clear frustration of the media.

As the duo laughed and praised each other, Trump himself avoided discussion of his $1 billion plus potential lawsuit against the BBC and reports that the Coast Guard will no longer view swastikas flag as hateful.

 “I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually, and some very liberal people – he won’t surprise him because they already like him.” Trump said. “It’s an amazing thing he did,” Trump added of Mamdani’s campaign and election win.

After initial statements about their meeting, Trump and Mamdani seemed to warm up to each other. By the end, Trump. who has called the incoming mayor a “communist,” said, “I’ll be cheering for him.”

“I met with a man who was a very rational person,” the president said.

Even on the issue of crime, which Trump said was a central part of their conversation, the president gave Mamdani some praise, saying that when it came to wanting a safe city, he “wants it even more than I do.”

Outside of the Oval Office, on the White House driveway, dozens of reporters lined up with camera crews in case Mamdani wanted to follow up the meeting by talking to the press solo. Trump noted that the media interest in the meeting was greater than when he met with some world leaders.

“There will be topics that we disagree on. I think we’ll probably come to a conclusion, and ultimately, he’ll convince me, or I’ll convince him. You know, it’s for the good of New York,” the president said.

As the press conference ended, MS NOW’s Nicolle Wallace told viewers, “Now I’ve seen everything.”