"Opponents" Become "Allies"? After Meeting with Mamdani, Trump and Mandani Praise Each Other and Promise Cooperation

American Chinese News reports: President Trump held a highly anticipated meeting with New York's elected mayor Zohran Mamdani in the White House Oval Office on Friday. Despite their previous mutual attacks, this meeting ended in an unusually friendly atmosphere, with both sides committing to focus on improving housing affordability and cost of living for New Yorkers.

Trump previously called Mamdani "100% a communist zealot" and "a complete nutcase," while Mamdani criticized Trump for leading a "dictatorial government" and claimed to be "Donald Trump's worst nightmare."

However, their first meeting at the White House focused more on common goals. Mamdani had just won the New York City mayoral election by leveraging public concerns about the cost of living, a strategy similar to Trump's in the 2024 election.

"I appreciate meeting with the president," Mamdani began, "as he said, it was a productive meeting, focusing on a place we both admire and love - New York City."

President Trump congratulated Mamdani on his election, and Mamdani responded by saying he "appreciated the conversation."

Mamdani emphasized: "What I truly appreciate about the president is that in this meeting, we didn't focus on places where we have many differences, but rather on our common goals of serving New Yorkers."

Mamdani pointed out that there is a need to address the burden problem faced by 8.5 million New Yorkers who are "struggling to live in the most expensive city in America." He revealed that they discussed "rent, groceries, utilities" and "different ways people are being forced out," which were key issues in his mayoral campaign.

Trump downplayed Mamdani's previous criticism of him as a "tyrant." The president stated that holding an executive office can change a person, and he believes this is also true for Mamdani.

Trump said, "I think you will have a really great mayor. The better he does, the happier I will be. There is no difference between parties, nothing else. We will help him (Mamdani) to make everyone's dream come true, having a strong and safe New York."

When asked about his past attacks on Mamdani as a "communist," Trump said the elected mayor might change his views, even impressing some conservatives.

"His views are a bit crazy, but who knows... he will also change. I have changed a lot," Trump said. "I am very confident he will do well. Actually, I think he will surprise some conservatives."

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, will take office next January. When asked about his past criticisms of Trump, he stated that despite ideological differences, he and Trump are aligned on affordability and reducing costs.

When journalists asked Mamdani to clarify his previous comments that the president acted like a fascist, Trump interjected, patting Mamdani's arm and saying he could "just say yes." "It's easier than explaining," Trump joked.

Mamdani said they also discussed the city's immigration enforcement issues, as he had previously expressed concerns about deploying the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) around New York.

The Associated Press analysis noted that this meeting gave Trump, facing political pressure, a high-profile opportunity to show he is actively addressing voters' concerns about the cost of living. The president, speaking about Mamdani's views on inflation, said, "Some of his ideas align with mine."

During the approximately 30 minutes of on-camera appearances, reporters repeatedly asked questions trying to get Trump and Mamdani to criticize each other. However, both leaders remained firm in their statement that they would focus on improving New York City despite political differences.

When asked if he would feel safe in New York City if Mamdani became mayor, President Trump replied, "Yes, I would. I really would."

He added, "Especially after the meeting. Our consensus was more than I expected. I hope he does well, and we will help him do well." (American Chinese Television)

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849452364673283/

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