Something very surprising happened in the Oval Office today. After months of President Donald Trump railing against now NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, the two met face-to-face in the White House. Rather than a tense exchange, Trump proceeded to lavish Mamdani with praise.
In the past, Trump has called the future mayor of New York a communist, threatened to cut federal funding to the city, and even implied he would send in the National Guard to New York City if Mamdani were to win his election.
For Mamdani’s part, he has also not minced words about the president, calling him a “despot” and the avatar of “corruption.”
But today, when the two met face-to-face, Trump entirely changed his tune, calling Mamdani “a very rational person” with whom he agrees on “a lot more than I would have thought.”
Mamdani, on the other hand, remained friendly and cordial while still managing to call the president a fascist to his face. When a member of the press corps asked, “Are you affirming that you think Trump is a fascist?” Mamdani began to answer before being cut off by the president, who said, “It’s okay, you can say it.” To which Mamdani replied with a smile, “Alright, yeah.”
Naturally, the internet is having a field day.
Reporter: Are affirming that you think Trump is a fascist? Mamdani: We’ve spoken about— Trump: That’s ok, you can just say it.
— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 12:55 PM
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Trump looking into how he can replace JD with Mamdani.
— aeenergy.bsky.social (@aeenergy.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:12 PM
— De LiBEARal🗽🇺🇸🔶 (@polibeer.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Does Trump have a man crush on Mamdani?
— KannaZ (@kannaz.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:03 PM
But that’s just one of the highlights from this surprising encounter, which left Trump praising and defending Mamdani. When asked if he would live in NYC under Mamdani’s mayorship, the president agreed that he would.
Reporter: Would you feel comfortable living in New York City under a Mamdani administration? Pres. Trump: Yeah, I would.
— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:04 PM
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Johnson:
— Cantard (@cantard.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:08 PM
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i wish i could have watched this in a theatre with popcorn and a beer
— Brandon Moore (@b-moore.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:39 PM
And he even defended Mamdani against fellow Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik's attacks on Mamdani during the election in which the New York state rep referred to him as a “full-blown jihadist who has called for the genocide of Jews” during a radio interview.
Q: Stefanik has called Mamdani a 'jihadist.' Do you think you're standing next to a jihadist right now? TRUMP: No, I don't. I met with a man who's a very rational person
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) November 21, 2025 at 1:10 PM
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Welcome to the resistance, President Trump?
— Zach (@zbzeee.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Bubba has got to be really jealous watching this
— Stephen Clermont (@sjclermont.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:15 PM
next SNL cold open gon slap 😂 #BFFsZMDT
— kesskasay.bsky.social (@kesskasay.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Whether Trump’s warmth toward Mamdani will continue in the days—or even hours—ahead remains to be seen. But one thing is certain and it’s that a new meme format was born today.
New meme format just dropped:
— Thanks, I Hate It (@thanksihateit603.bsky.social) November 21, 2025 at 1:10 PM
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