Zohran Mamdani still believes Donald Trump is a fascist and a threat to democracy, but that won’t stop the mayor-elect from working with the president where he can.
The soon-to-be mayor met with Trump at the White House earlier this week. In a Sunday interview with NBC‘s “Meet the Press” he said the purpose of the meeting was advocating for programs to help ease an affordability crisis in New York City.
“We don’t shy away from where we have disagreements, but we understand what it is that brings us to that table,” Mamdani said. “I’m not coming into the Oval Office to make a point or make a stand. I’m coming in there to deliver for New Yorkers… Working for the people of New York City demands that you work with anyone and everyone.”
Elsewhere in the interview, host Kristen Welker pressed Mamdani about his past statements on Trump. She asked if he still believed Trump was a “fascist,” echoing a question Mamdani received while standing next to Trump in the Oval Office. Mamdani answered “yes” in both cases.
“That’s something that I’ve said in the past. I say it today,” he said. “We were not shy about the places of disagreement.”
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Watch Mamdani’s entire interview below via YouTube:
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