Zohran Mamdani has made headlines recently for calling Donald Trump a “fascist” and a “despot.” This announcement follows just days after her rare, unplanned cordial sit-down with the former president at the White House. A lot of folks thought this meeting would be pretty combative. Rather, it showcased just how much the two candidates actually agreed with one another on the vast majority of issues.
Over the last few months, Trump responded by doubling down with inflammatory rhetoric and attacks against Mamdani, calling Mamdani a “communist lunatic.” Despite the ill-will, their encounter did not unfold as one might expect. That opening, in turn, allowed for a friendlier discourse than most pundits expected.
Mamdani expressed his ongoing concerns regarding Trump’s leadership, stating, “If there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.” This announcement highlights his determination to push back against Trump’s record while traversing their warm and fuzzy new relationship.
During the meeting, Trump acknowledged the unexpected common ground, saying, “We agreed a lot more than I would have thought.” He further expressed confidence in Mamdani’s capabilities, stating, “I feel very confident that he can do a good job,” and hinted at the potential for Mamdani to defy conservative expectations, remarking, “I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”
Mamdani answered tough questions, including why he decided to retain police commissioner Jessica Tisch. She first took office, by appointment, from former mayor Eric Adams. Tisch, a former investment banker, has advocated for more police support and has backed Adams’s efforts to hire 5,000 new cops. Mamdani has stated unequivocally that he plans to keep the current level of police headcount.
“We are really reassured that I’ve kept the police commissioner,” – Zohran Mamdani
Under Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s leadership, the NYPD has been widely lauded for their work to curb crime throughout New York City. She is aggressively pursuing corruption in the police department. In an email to rank-and-file officers, she wrote that the department firing 80 officers should not worry anyone, addressing the fears directly with a hard no—“No, we don’t.”
Kevin Hasset, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, praised Mamdani’s choice to keep Tisch, and said that the White House was excited about it. This endorsement is intended to make sure no unusual change occurs in the city’s top law enforcement. Along the way, Mamdani untangles his fraught relationship with Trump.
Mamdani goes on to expound more on his antipathy toward Trump and the Trump administration’s policies. He takes no prisoners in doubling down on his earlier is right. He concluded by asserting, “Everything that I’ve said in the past I continue to believe.”