The Republican president and New York City's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani were warm and friendly, speaking repeatedly of their shared goals to help Trump's hometown rather than their combustible differences.
Trump, who had in the past called Mamdani a "100 per cent Communist Lunatic" and a "total nut job," spoke openly of how impressed he was with the man who had called his administration "authoritarian."
Trump said he was surprised by their "great" meeting and said of the democratic socialist, "I think he is going to surprise some conservative people, actually."
Mamdani and Trump said they discussed housing affordability and the cost of groceries and utilities, as Mamdani successfully used frustration over inflation to get elected, just as the US president did in the 2024 election.
"We're going to be helping him, to make everybody's dream come true, having a strong and very safe New York," Trump told reporters with Mamdani beside him in the Oval Office.
"What I really appreciate about the president is that the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, which there are many, and also focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers," Mamdani said.
The president brushed aside Mamdani's criticisms of him over his administration's deportation raids and claims that Trump was behaving like a despot. Instead, Trump said the responsibility of holding an executive position in the government causes a person to change, saying that had been the case for him.
Trump seemed at times even protective of Mamdani, jumping in on his behalf at several points when reporters asked him tough questions.
For example, when reporters asked Mamdani to clarify his past statements indicating that he thought the president was acting like a fascist, Trump said, "I've been called much worse than a despot."
When a reporter asked if Mamdani stood by his comments that Trump is a fascist, Trump interjected before the mayor-elect could fully answer the question.
"That's OK. You can just say yes. OK?" Trump said. "It's easier. It's easier than explaining it. I don't mind."
Trump jumped in again when a reporter asked Mamdani why he flew to Washington instead of taking transportation that used less fossil fuels.
"I'll stick up for you," Trump said.
Mamdani, who takes office in January, said he sought the meeting with Trump to talk about ways to make New York City more affordable.
Trump has said he may want to help him out although he has also falsely labelled Mamdani as a "communist" and threatened to yank federal funds from his hometown.
"I think we'll get along fine. Look, we're looking for the same thing: we want to make New York strong," the president said.
Earlier, Mamdani, 34, posted a grinning selfie on social media, taken in the seat of a plane bound for Washington.
Uganda-born Mamdani will be the first Muslim and first South Asian mayor in the city that is home to Wall Street, when he takes office in January.
with Reuters
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