Trump tells New York mayor-elect to ‘say yes’ on fascist issue during meeting
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During an Oval Office media broadcast Friday, Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich asked New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani if he still believes President Donald Trump is a “fascist.”
Mamdani began to respond, but before he could finish, Trump intervened from behind the Resolute Desk.
“It’s okay,” Trump said before patting Mamdani on the arm. “You can just say yes. It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.”
The full 10-minute exchange capped a wide-ranging meeting focused on affordability, housing and public safety and fraught with tension between Mamdani’s past rhetoric and the political reality of governing alongside the Trump White House.
TRUMP AND MAMDANI Clash IN FIRST OVAL OFFICE MEETING – WHAT’S ON THE TABLE
President Donald Trump met for the first time with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday in the Oval Office. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
Heinrich previously asked Mamdani if he stood by his previous comments calling Trump’s agenda “fascist” and “despotic.”
Mamdani did not give a direct answer, saying only that he intended to work with the president “where we agree” to help the city’s 8.5 million residents.
Trump interjected before finishing, adding with a laugh: “I’ve been called a lot worse than a despot. Maybe he’ll change his mind.”
Trump predicts ‘civil’ meeting with Mamdani despite past comments about each other
President Donald Trump meets with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, November 21, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
The moment came after both men publicly highlighted areas of potential cooperation. Trump highlighted falling energy prices and said he wanted utilities, including Con Edison, to lower their rates. Mamdani laid out a plan focused on housing, rent, groceries and utilities, saying New Yorkers face a “cost of living crisis that threatens to push families out of the city.”
Heinrich also pressed Trump on Ukraine, asking how his proposed peace plan would work if President Zelensky rejected it.
Trump responded that Ukraine “should love it or keep fighting” and reiterated that U.S. support would depend on reaching a deal. He also claimed that the number of victims of the conflict was “much higher” than had been publicly announced.
DAVID MARCUS: MR. MAMDANI GOES TO WASHINGTON BETWEEN THE ROCK AND THE PLACE
President Donald Trump meets with New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, November 21, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
The spray also addressed public safety, with Mamdani saying he intended to maintain about 35,000 NYPD officers while shifting more non-emergency calls from police to mental health responders.
Trump said the two men shared a goal of weeding out “very bad people” and making the city safer, adding, “We want New York to prosper again.”
The exchange with Heinrich is likely to fuel a deeper examination of how Mamdani balances far-left progressive messages with realistic government demands. The mayor-elect proudly identified himself as a democratic socialist, but said he intends to “meet the moment” in partnership with the Trump administration when possible.
Trump, who joked that the spray had attracted “more reporters than usual,” said he was open to meeting again. Mamdani added the same, saying his goal was to find areas of agreement that could “bring immediate results to New Yorkers.”
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The president posted to Social truth On Friday evening, he documented the visit with several photos of the two men with the caption: “It was a great honor to meet Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor of New York!”
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
