Friday’s Oval Office encounter between Donald Trump and New York’s incoming left-wing mayor Zohran Mamdani was eagerly anticipated, with the pair trading insults for months. But there was no Zelensky-style slanging match; the meeting was all sweetness and light. The right-wing real-estate magnate and the “democratic socialist” batted away awkward questions on ICE raids and accusations of fascism, bonding – for the cameras, at least – over a shared love of New York and a desire to build homes there.
Predictions of a bust-up between Trump, 79, and the 34-year-old Muslim of Indian-Ugandan descent whom he’d dubbed a “100 per cent Communist Lunatic” were understandable. Trump hasn’t had a good week. It started well with Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman appearing in the Oval Office on Tuesday to stroke Trump’s ego and bag F-35 fighter jets in exchange for nearly $1 trillion in US investments. But it went pear-shaped within 24 hours as the Republican Party revealed the remnants of a spine, forcing the president to order the release of the entire cache of Epstein files.
Washington insiders say Trump is afraid and furious, evident from the ferocity and volume of his Truth Social posts. In the Oval Office with Mamdani, however, there were smiles and self-deprecating humour. When asked if he minded being called a “fascist”, Trump joked: “I’ve been called worse than that.” He praised Mamdani’s political skills, noting he “came from nowhere to thrash the Cuomo political dynasty” and “ran an incredible race against some really smart people.” Trump even wished him well: “I think he’s going to be hopefully a really great mayor. The better he does, the happier I am.”
Mamdani’s plans for government-run food shops, free buses and rent freezes are straight from the socialist playbook. The Swedish economist Assar Lindbeck once remarked that rent controls were “the most efficient technique presently known to destroy a city – except for bombing.” Mamdani stood behind Trump’s right shoulder with a Sphinx-like smile, turning on easy charm when needed. Trump appeared to eye the room suspiciously, on the lookout for “nasty” reporters with questions about bone saws.
Trump declared that some of Mamdani’s ideas “are really the same ideas that I have”, though critics say Trump couldn’t define socialism or communism if asked. Mamdani faced a tougher time from fellow Democrats in Congress, 86 of whom voted with Republicans to approve a House resolution condemning “the horrors of socialism” – timed to coincide with the Oval Office meeting. Democrat bigwigs fear Mamdani’s full-fat socialism will scare middle-of-the-road voters in swing states.
Trump recognises Mamdani’s appeal, energy and youth. Mamdani is a smart campaigner who stays on message – the cost of living – and embraced digital messaging like no Democrat before him, with clever video storytelling and savvy social media use to take New York City by storm. These are tactics the Democrats sorely need as they contemplate mid-term and 2028 presidential elections in the shadow of the 2024 car crash facilitated by Biden’s decrepitude.
