Trump and New York Mayor Mamdani Show Signs of Thaw After Months of Hostility

After months of sharp personal attacks and political hostility, relations between US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Johoran Mamdani appear to be softening, with signs of an unexpected thaw emerging in recent weeks.

According to Axios, the two leaders have begun exchanging text messages following their most recent meeting at the Oval Office in November, where they also exchanged phone numbers. The development marks a notable shift from their earlier confrontational rhetoric.

The Oval Office meeting came after a prolonged period of intense political sparring. Ahead of the mayoral election, Mamdani had described Trump as a “fascist,” while Trump repeatedly warned New Yorkers that electing Mamdani would be “a disaster” for the city. The president had labeled Mamdani a “communist lunatic” and an “antisemite,” vowing to “make New York City great again” and even threatening to strip the mayor of governing authority.

Despite the history of mutual criticism, their face-to-face meeting was marked by an unusually cordial tone. During the discussion, Trump complimented the mayor, saying, “Wow, you look even better than you do on television.” Days later, he joked that he looked “much better than Mamdani.”

Mamdani described the meeting as productive, saying discussions focused on various neighborhoods in New York City, including references to a pharmacy favored by Trump’s father. “It was a constructive meeting marked by mutual respect and shared love for New York City, as well as a discussion on ensuring affordability for New Yorkers,” Mamdani said.

Trump, in turn, said of the mayor, “The better job he does, the happier I’ll be.”

Following his election victory, Mamdani had told supporters that if anyone could defeat Donald Trump, it would be the city that “gave birth to him,” adding that the city’s voice should be “even louder.” Trump responded by cautioning the mayor, saying he did not know what “being louder” meant and warning him to “be careful” with such remarks.

Observers noted that during the November White House meeting, rapport appeared to develop quickly between the two leaders, despite deep ideological differences. Trump also praised Mamdani’s electoral success, calling it an “extraordinary race” won against “many tough and smart opponents.”

Mamdani later said he made it clear to Trump that he was willing to work with the president on any agenda that benefits New Yorkers. “If an agenda harms New Yorkers, I will not hesitate to oppose it,” he said.

Reflecting on his earlier criticism, Trump acknowledged, “I hit him a little hard. But I think we can work together very well. In the end, we share the same goal—we want to make New York strong.”