Washington, November 22. US President Donald Trump on Friday warmly welcomed New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House and praised Mamdani’s election victory. Mamdani won the New York mayoral election earlier this month. The meeting between Trump and Mamdani lasted about 30 minutes and marked the beginning of a collaborative relationship between the two leaders, an unexpected moment for both leaders.

Till a few days before this, both the leaders did not leave any opportunity to attack each other. After months of sharp attacks and insulting statements in the media, the mayor-elect and the president put aside their differences and arrived in the Oval Office. Trump, who repeatedly mocked Mr. Mamdani by calling him a “communist” during the mayoral campaign. He called the Democratic Socialist “rational” and said he would “appreciate” her when she takes office. In the Oval Office, Trump said he was happy to put aside partisan differences. He said that the better he does, the happier I will be.

Mamdani said it was a productive meeting, focused on a shared appreciation and love of New York City as a place and the need to provide affordable amenities to New Yorkers. Mamdani said he also talked about immigration enforcement in the city, an issue on which he has debated with federal officials, and has raised concerns about the presence of ICE officers in New York. When asked about his previous attacks on Mamdani, the US President suggested that the mayor-elect could turn to office. He said, “His views are a little different, but who knows? We’ll see what works. He’s going to change too. I’ve changed a lot.”

Mamdani once called Trump a “dictator.” Forgetting the old issues, he said that he will emphasize on his priorities. “We have different philosophies, but we agree on being frugal and reducing expenses,” he said. Trump ignored earlier criticism. “I have been called worse than a dictator,” he said. “Given the heated debate in the recent campaign, many were surprised to see such a good meeting.”

Trump had railed against Mamdani for months, threatening to withhold federal funds if the mayor-elect adopted certain progressive policies. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, focused his mayoral campaign on issues of affordability and cost of living. His themes helped Democrats win important victories in other states this cycle.

Despite their differences of opinion, the two leaders looked comfortable together in the Oval Office. A reporter asked the US President if he thought he was standing next to a “jihadi”, using the language of Representative Elise Stefanik. Mr Trump dismissed this, saying, “No, I don’t think so. I met a man who is a very smart man. A man who really wants to see New York made great again.”

After the meeting, Mamdani reiterated his commitment to austerity, saying, “Working people in New York have been left behind. In the richest city in the world, one in five people can’t afford $2.90 for a train or bus. As I told Trump today—now is the time to put those people back at the center of our politics.”