NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani says meeting with Trump was productive. Here’s how.

Zohran Mamdani is back in New York after his meeting with President Trump at the White House on Friday, where their surprisingly friendly news conference in the Oval Office seemed to go off without a hitch.

The mayor-elect spoke to reporters Sunday morning outside a Bronx church, where he said high stakes the meeting with the president was “productive” and focused on results for New Yorkers.

“I was heartened by the responses I received from New Yorkers across the five boroughs, who were encouraged by the focus on the cost of living and the affordability crisis that so many face in this city, because too often when two politicians meet, the conversation rarely extends beyond them,” Mamdani said.

“I appreciated the tone”

Mr. Trump said Friday they had a “very good meeting” after the two spoke privately in the Oval Office and then held a joint press conference.

“We agree on a lot more than I thought we would. I want him to do a great job and we will help him do a great job,” the president said.

The men had publicly fought for monthsthe president falsely calling Mamdani a “communist” and the mayor-elect promising to “Trump-proof the city” in his term. victory speech on election night.

“I appreciated the tone and the fact that we were both looking to have a productive meeting,” Mamdani said Sunday.

Mamdani says he supports fascist remarks

A remarkable moment came when a reporter asked Mamdani about his comments calling Mr. Trump a “fascist,” and the president responded, “You can just say yes.”

During an appearance Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the mayor-elect said, “It’s something I’ve said in the past, I’m saying it today.”

“I think what I appreciated about the conversation I had with the president was that we didn’t shy away from talking about the areas of disagreement, about the politics that got us to this moment. And we also wanted to focus on what it might look like to deliver a shared analysis of an affordability crisis for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.

He was asked in the Bronx what message his now posing for photos with the president might send.

“I think the responsibility I have as mayor of the city is to work with everyone who can help alleviate the affordability crisis and provide dignity for every person who lives in the city, and I think it’s extremely important that we be honest about our own opinions, our own assessments, and commit to working with anyone who could move that forward,” Mamdani responded.

Common ground around cost of living

Before heading to Washington, D.C., the mayor-elect said he planned to remain focused on affordabilitypointing out that he and the president both campaigned on the issue. On Sunday, he said he “felt good coming out of that meeting.”

“We talked about things that we’ve all been paying attention to for a while, whether it’s accommodation Or public transportation Or childcare,” said Mamdani.

There was a lot at stake during their meeting, including everything from federal funding for infrastructure projects immigration enforcement protocols and security clearances of the elected mayor.

When asked if he thought Mr. Trump could send federal troops or what this means for the future of their relationship, Mamdani said he is “confident that we are establishing a productive relationship.”

“I can only take things one meeting at a time, one conversation at a time. And all I was hoping to do in that conversation was establish a working relationship and have a productive meeting focused on the work itself,” he added.

Learn more about immigration

Mamdani went on to say they talked about the city’s sanctuary policies, which he said allow the city government to coordinate with federal law enforcement on about 170 serious crimes.

“The concern goes beyond these crimes, because many New Yorkers who right now are being arrested, being detained, being deported for the crime of showing up for a regular court appearance. 26 Place Fédéralefor the crime of simply being present in New York,” he said. “And how my goal as the city’s next mayor will be to protect the immigrants who call the city home and provide public safety for every New Yorker who lives in these five boroughs.”

The mayor-elect said they also talked about NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch remains in office as head of the police department.

“One of the most recent decisions we made to retain Commissioner Tisch was brought up in the conversation I had with President Trump. It was a decision that he, I and many New Yorkers saw as a reflection of the importance we place on public safety,” he said.