By Peter AitkenShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSocialists are still trying to make sense of the surprisingly positive meeting between New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump, with outlets decrying the meeting as a "grotesque love-fest" or highlighting the "gushing" response Trump had to a man he had spent months trying to tear down.
Why It Matters
Mamdani's upset in the Democratic mayoral primary over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo sent shockwaves throughout the country. After winning the primary in June, Trump denounced Mamdani as a dangerous "communist lunatic" who would destroy New York City, while the left continues to grapple with what Mamdani means for various movements.
Many said Mamdani was effectively promising voters the moon with no way of delivering, and others have criticized him for appearing to walk back several of his campaign promises, such as leaving NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch in her position. Mamdani also joined Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York in discouraging a primary challenge to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, saying that challenger Chi Ossé, who campaigned for Mamdani, "should remain a councilman" and "focus...right here on New York City."
The meeting also took place after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Friday morning to condemn "the horrors of socialism," with a majority of Democrats joining Republicans in support. The resolution passed in a 285-98 vote.
...What To Know
The meeting between Mamdani and Trump on Friday at the White House garnered national attention as many expected the president to effectively steamroll the novice mayor-elect, only to surprisingly see the pair in the Oval Office smiling and joking with each other—including Trump saying he was okay with Mamdani calling him a fascist because it was "easier than explaining" his view to reporters.
Trump told reporters he would be comfortable living in Mamdani's New York City, "especially after the meeting," and that the pair had more in common with their goals and political views than the president had thought.
In the aftermath of Friday's meeting, outlet World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) heavily criticized Mamdani for his "grotesque love-fest" with Trump at the White House, which included Mamdani pledging to work with "would-be dictator" Trump.
"This of an administration that is carrying out an unrelenting assault on the working class, slashing food stamps, threatening Social Security and Medicare, destroying public education, waging a war on public health and orchestrating the largest transfer of wealth from the working class to the oligarchy in American history," Joseph Kishore wrote on WSWS, going on to criticize Mamdani's response to Trump on immigration, police, and Israel.
"Mamdani bent over backwards to avoid any mild criticism of Trump," he wrote, adding of the moment when Mamdani was asked about calling Trump a fascist that "Mamdani allowed Trump to respond for him...thus the pair jointly agreed that Trump is a fascist, but that this would be no hinderance to their blooming 'partnership.'"
Meanwhile, Jacobin, a New York-based socialist magazine, highlighted that Mamdani's "unmistakable charisma and undeniable popularity" has created "a flurry of contradictory reactions from opponents," which includes "slapping Mamdani with a seal of approval" after their meeting.
"Mamdani’s political opponents are threatened by his unapologetic democratic socialism, and they’re trying a range of strategies to neutralize it," Ben Burgis wrote.
Burgis argued that the meeting with Trump was sensible, showing Mamdani is willing to work with the federal government, but that Trump's "dramatic pivot" might reflect a broader appeal of the mayor-elect's policies and the dissatisfaction of voters with the state of the country as a whole, something Trump is grappling with amid fluctuating jobs reports and competing analysis about the health of the economy.
"When it comes to the politics of the here and now, though, the plain fact is that most Americans don’t find what democratic socialists are proposing particularly horrifying. And at least for the moment, that puts reactionaries like Trump on the back foot," Burgis wrote.
What People Are Saying
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani wrote on X on Friday: "Working people have been left behind in New York. In the wealthiest city in the world, one in five can't afford $2.90 for the train or bus. As I told Trump today— it’s time to put those people right back at the heart of our politics."
Democratic pundit Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks wrote on X on Friday: "Trump saving Mamdani from the fascist question was a nice moment, both for the country and for Trump. He seemed magnanimous and thick-skinned, two traits he's not overly known for. It was a much better look. Press tried to goad them and neither one bit. Happy to see it."
Far-right and anti-Muslim political activist Laura Loomer, an ardent Trump supporter, wrote on X on Friday: "It would be nice to see the admin not give Mamdani a total pass for his support of Islamic terrorism and his incitement of hatred against White people and non-Muslims. We need to see some moral clarity on the issues of anti-white racism and normalization of Islamic supremacy from the GOP."
She added: "Trump has called Mamdani a communist and posted my report about how Mamdani campaigned with a 1993 World Trade Center bombing suspect. He was backed by HAMAS and the Muslim Brotherhood. Why is this not being called out by the Trump admin? It’s very dangerous to our country."
Democratic political commentator Harry Sisson wrote on X on Friday: "Trump is posting photos of his love fest with Mamdani while MAGA is melting down online over the meeting. It’s just too funny. The Republicans are in complete shambles!"
What Happens Next?
Mamdani takes office on January 1, 2026.
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