Reporter asks Mamdani if Trump is a fascist; Trump quips, 'Just say yes… I don't mind'

It was an unexpected Friday "bromance" moment between US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani — a meeting many had predicted would resemble the explosive encounter Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this year.

Inside the Oval Office, across the Resolute Desk sat the President — a populist conservative firebrand who has spent months calling Mamdani a "communist lunatic." And there stood the Mayor-elect — a self-described democratic socialist who has labelled Trump a "fascist" and a "despot." By all metrics, the two seemed destined for a televised showdown between polar opposites.

Instead, what unfolded was what CNN termed "an unexpected love fest."

A meeting that defied expectations

Observers anticipated frostiness, curt smiles, or stiff photo-op body language. Instead, the meeting, scheduled as a brief courtesy call, stretched to nearly an hour, ending with both leaders emerging as unexpected allies in what some US outlets described as a budding "populist alliance."

Fox News reported that while Trump had been sharply critical of Mamdani during the campaign, he told aides he wanted to see "everything work out well for New York" as both men zeroed in on a shared priority: affordability.

Mamdani, for his part, told the network he had initiated the meeting because he was willing to work with anyone "to make life more affordable for the more than 8.5 million people who call New York City home."

Reporter Asks Mamdani If Trump Is a Fascist; Trump Quips, 'Just Say Yes... I Don't Mind'

During the media interaction, Trump struck an unusually relaxed tone about Mamdani's past criticism. When a reporter asked the mayor-elect if he still stood by calling Trump a "fascist," Mamdani began, "I've spoken about it...," before Trump cut in.

"That's okay. You can just say yes. It's easier than explaining it. I don't mind," he said, shrugging off the remark.

Bonding over bread-and-butter issues

Earlier, Trump described the meeting as "great" and "very productive," noting several areas of agreement, including housing development and rising food prices.

"One thing in common — we want this city of ours that we love to do very well," Trump said. "Some of his ideas are really the same ideas that I have."

The President also pointed out, with some amusement, that internal polling showed "about 10 percent" of his own voters in the outer boroughs had also voted for Mamdani.

Mamdani echoed the sense of alignment, saying their discussion focused on the "bread-and-butter" pressures driving New Yorkers out of the city: rent, groceries and utilities.

"We spoke about the different ways in which people are being pushed out," he said. "I look forward to working together to deliver affordability for New Yorkers."

Trump distances himself from GOP critics

In a notable gesture, Trump dismissed recent attacks from New York Republicans who labeled Mamdani a "jihadist" and an anti-semite.

"No, I don't," Trump said when asked if he agreed with those claims. "I met with a man who really wants to see New York be great again."

By embracing Mamdani, Trump also appeared to sidestep his party's establishment factions in the state, an unusual move that may reflect his own populist instincts.

A pragmatic truce — for now

Despite occupying opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, both leaders rose to power on the back of frustration with a system they say is failing working Americans. Mamdani's core campaign promise, "universal affordability," including rent freezes and free public transit, was framed not as socialist spending but as relief for the working class, a framing that appeared to resonate with Trump.

For Mamdani, the meeting signalled a willingness to prioritise outcomes over optics. If cooperation with the President secures federal support for transit or housing, the backlash from critics accusing him of "selling out" may soften.

Whether this détente endures beyond their first policy disagreement remains to be seen. But for one Friday in November, the capitalist mogul and the democratic socialist found a way to speak the same language.