US President Donald Trump and New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met at the White House for what many expected to be a heated confrontation. Instead, the event touted beforehand as the year’s major political clash unfolded as an unexpectedly cordial exchange.

Before their encounter, tensions had been high. During his victory speech, Mamdani, who identifies as a Democratic socialist, branded Trump a “despot”. On the other side, the president’s spokeswoman had previewed the visit as a “communist coming to the White House”. Yet once the two appeared together in the Oval Office, their remarks took a markedly warmer direction.

Throughout the appearance, both men repeatedly highlighted a shared commitment to solving New York City’s affordability crisis. They smiled frequently, and Trump responded to questions about Mamdani’s past criticisms with amusement rather than irritation. The atmosphere caught political observers off guard, hinting that both leaders may recognise that progress on affordability is essential to their popularity.

Whether this temporary calm will continue after Mamdani assumes office on 1 January remains uncertain. Until then, Trump remarked, “I’ll be cheering for him".

The shift in tone was evident as soon as they addressed the press. Mamdani, standing to Trump’s right with clasped hands, appeared relaxed, mirroring Trump's unusually comfortable posture behind the Resolute Desk.

Rather than renewing any attacks, Trump chose to compliment the mayor-elect. He said he hoped Mamdani would prove to be a “really great mayor” and later added he was “confident that he can do a very good job”.

Reporters at the scene reminded both men of the insults traded during the campaign, Trump calling Mamdani a “communist” and Mamdani labeling Trump a “despot”. Both sidestepped multiple questions about those comments and pivoted instead to positive remarks.

When asked whether Mamdani believed the president was a “fascist”, Trump jokingly interjected, “That’s ok, you can just say yes,” lightly tapping Mamdani’s arm. “It’s easier than explaining.” The president’s only mild criticism came when he said Mamdani held “views that are little out there”.

More surprising was Trump’s dismissal of an attack from one of his strongest allies in New York. A reporter quoted Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik who had asked whether Mamdani was a “jihadist” and asked Trump if he agreed. “No I don’t,” Trump replied immediately. He added, “You say things sometimes in a campaign,” noting that Stefanik was nonetheless “a very capable person”.

The two men also share similar roots: they are both New Yorkers who have called Queens home. Trump grew up in Jamaica Estates; Mamdani currently lives in Astoria. Mamdani spoke of their “shared love” for the city, and Trump fondly referenced his hometown throughout the briefing. “This city could be unbelievable, if he could be a spectacular success, I’ll be very happy,” he said. He even mused that, in another political era, he might have liked to serve as mayor himself.

Their alignment on Friday appeared driven largely by a mutual concern about cost-of-living issues. Trump’s re-election campaign had leaned heavily on voter frustration over inflation, and he has attempted to project economic steadiness as prices for everyday necessities remain high. Mamdani, during his mayoral bid, centred his platform on the shortage of affordable housing, proposing, among other measures, freezing rent hikes on some rent-stabilized apartments.

Mamdani said he and the president explored ways to “deliver affordability to New Yorkers”. Whenever questions veered into areas where the two disagreed, the mayor-elect steered the conversation back to economic concerns. In response to a question about Middle East policy, he noted that Trump voters wanted “an end to forever wars” and wanted leaders to focus on “the cost-of-living crisis”.

They also appeared to find limited agreement on policing and immigration. Mamdani said he passed along community concerns regarding federal immigration-enforcement activity in New York. Trump, however, indicated crime was the main topic: “He doesn’t want to see crime and I don’t want to see crime.” He added he had “very little doubt” they would see eye-to-eye and even suggested he would feel safe living in a city under Mamdani’s leadership.

The friendly tone in the Oval Office may pose challenges for Republicans seeking to cast Mamdani as a liability for Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. After disappointing GOP results in this month’s elections, it remains unclear whether the party’s intended strategy will resonate.

Reports from Axios indicated Republicans had planned to portray Mamdani as anti-police, anti-capitalist, and anti-Israel in hopes of boosting their chances in pivotal races. But the cordial display with Trump could weaken that approach. The president himself predicted the mayor-elect might “surprise some conservative people”.