Donald Trump spent months calling Zohran Mamdani a "communist lunatic."
Trump threatened to deport him and cut off federal funding to New York City if he won.
But Trump just made one stunning move that left his socialist enemy scrambling.
Trump extends olive branch after vicious campaign attacks
President Trump indicated Sunday that he will meet with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani despite months of brutal attacks on the Democratic socialist.
"The mayor of New York, I will say, would like to meet with us and we'll work something out," Trump told reporters.¹
https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1990213626997747883?s=20
The potential meeting represents a stunning about-face for Trump.
During the campaign, Trump called the 34-year-old Queens politician a "communist lunatic" and threatened to withhold federal funds from the city if voters elected him.
Trump even endorsed Democrat Andrew Cuomo — a man he battled constantly during his first term as President — over Mamdani in the general election.
"Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice. You must vote for him, and hope he does a fantastic job," Trump posted on Truth Social before Election Day.²
On Election Day itself, Trump posted that any Jewish voter who cast a ballot for Mamdani was "stupid."
Mamdani won anyway, defeating both Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in a landslide.
The democratic socialist campaigned on radical proposals including free universal childcare, free buses, and government-run grocery stores.
https://twitter.com/MAGAVoice/status/1985472439669940319?s=20
Mamdani fired back at Trump during victory speech
Mamdani didn't shy away from confrontation during his election night victory speech.
"Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up," Mamdani declared to cheering supporters in Brooklyn.³
"If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him," Mamdani said.
The incoming mayor cast himself as Trump's worst nightmare — a young, charismatic socialist who beat the establishment candidate Trump endorsed.
"So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: To get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us," Mamdani warned.
Trump was watching.
The President posted "…AND SO IT BEGINS!" on social media as Mamdani spoke.
But something changed in the two weeks since Election Day.
Trump suffered a brutal night as Democrats swept elections across the country.
Democrat candidates Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill won gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey by double digits.
Democrats also won nearly every other major state-level contest.
Trump's reaction revealed the shellacking stung.
"Last night, it was, you know, not expected to be a victory, it was very Democrat areas, but I don't think it was good for Republicans," Trump told GOP senators at the White House the morning after the elections.⁴
https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/1986158298874229108?s=20
Trump now wants to make nice with his socialist foe
Mamdani confirmed Monday that his team reached out to the White House to arrange a meeting.
"My team reached out to the White House to fulfill a commitment I made to New Yorkers over the course of this campaign," Mamdani told reporters at a food pantry in the Bronx.⁵
The mayor-elect said he wants to discuss affordability issues including SNAP benefits and grocery prices.
"The President ran on a campaign where he spoke about a promise to deliver cheaper groceries, a promise to reduce the cost of living," Mamdani noted.
Trump's sudden willingness to engage Mamdani raises obvious questions about the President's political calculations.
Trump just watched Democrats make major gains by focusing on kitchen-table economics while Trump pursued his culture war agenda.
Now Trump wants to work with the socialist mayor of America's largest city after spending months trying to destroy him politically.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed no date has been set for the meeting but said Trump "wants to see everything work out well for New York."
The relationship between Trump and Mamdani will be critical given the federal government's role in funding major city services.
Every New York City mayor needs security clearance to coordinate with federal law enforcement on terrorism threats and major events.
"It would be very difficult for the mayor of New York City to not have a security clearance," John Sandweg, a former acting general counsel at the Department of Homeland Security, explained.⁶
Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York warned her party against freezing out the city despite Mamdani's politics.
"Attempts by those within my party to score cheap political points by going after New York City are not going to be met lightly. We're going to fight back," Malliotakis said.⁷
Trump's pivot on Mamdani exposes the reality behind his tough-guy posturing.
When push comes to shove, Trump needs to govern — and that means working with officials he spent months trashing.
The question is whether Trump's base will accept their President cutting deals with a self-described democratic socialist who vowed to "Trump-proof" New York City.
Mamdani certainly isn't backing down from his confrontational approach.
He criticized Trump's efforts to cut SNAP funding during the government shutdown and vowed to "protect" New Yorkers from a "federal administration that would rather starve the people of this city, than serve the people of this city."
Trump just found out that calling someone a communist lunatic doesn't stop them from becoming mayor of the nation's largest city.
Now he has to figure out how to work with the socialist he spent months vilifying.
¹ Jack Davis, "Trump Extends an Olive Branch to Mamdani: 'We'll Work Something Out,'" The Western Journal, November 17, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ "Mamdani tells Trump that New York is ready to fight after president's threats fail to thwart voters," PBS News, November 5, 2025.
⁴ "Trump bashes Mamdani after Democrats sweep key elections," CNBC, November 5, 2025.
⁵ "Zohran Mamdani hopeful of meeting with Donald Trump soon to talk about affordability," Fortune, November 17, 2025.
⁶ Jack Davis, "Trump Extends an Olive Branch to Mamdani: 'We'll Work Something Out,'" The Western Journal, November 17, 2025.
⁷ Ibid.
