Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) on Monday said New York City is in a “better place” after Friday’s cordial Oval Office meeting between Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump.
During an unrelated press conference in the Bronx, Hochul took credit for the advice she gave Mamdani on how to converse with Trump. She told the incoming mayor he needed to make sure Trump was confident in his leadership, so that New York City’s autonomy would be preserved.
“He has already hit the ground running,” Hochul said of Mamdani, who assumes office in January. “And I have the confidence in him that I wanted the president to have as well: that we don’t need any interventions.”
Trump previously threatened to pull New York City’s federal funding if Mamdani won the mayoral election. Now that Mamdani is mayor-elect, Trump appears to be warming up to him, as seen in their first meeting.
Trump once called Mamdani a “communist” in a clear reference to his socialist views, while Mamdani labeled Trump a “fascist” and a “despot.” On Friday, Trump quipped he had been called much worse. In a Sunday interview, Mamdani stood by his descriptors of the president.
Affordability was the one issue that united the two despite their political differences.
“I think what I appreciated about the conversation that I had with the president was that we were not shy about the places of disagreement, about the politics that has brought us to this moment,” Mamdani told NBC News, “and we also wanted to focus on what it could look like to deliver on a shared analysis of an affordability crisis for New Yorkers.”
Trump also, for the time being, changed his mind on sending the National Guard to New York City, saying other cities need troops at the moment. However, he left open the possibility of a deployment in the future if he deems military action necessary to crack down on crime.
TRUMP TRADES IN ATTACKS FOR PRAISE AS HE HOSTS MAMDANI IN REMARKABLY RESPECTFUL OVAL OFFICE MEETING
Mamdani called Hochul the day after the meeting to thank the governor for her advice.
“The president had a chance to see someone, as I have, who has the capacity and the vision that the city needs at this time,” she said. “I told [Mamdani] I thought he did everything he needed to do to make sure the president has confidence in his leadership.”
