US President Donald Trump shakes hands with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the Oval Office on Friday. (Photo: AP)
Photo : AP
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has reaffirmed his view that US President Donald Trump is a “fascist,” but says he is willing to work with him on affordability issues affecting the city.
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Mamdani was asked if he still believes Trump is a fascist. “That’s something that I’ve said in the past. I say it today,” he replied.
Mamdani and Trump met at the White House on Friday, where both expressed support for making the city more affordable. The mayor-elect, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, said the two had “not been shy about the places of disagreement” but were focused on shared concerns. “We also wanted to focus on what it could look like to deliver on a shared analysis of an affordable crisis for New Yorkers,” he said.
During their post-meeting press conference, Mamdani was again asked whether he still considered Trump a fascist. As he prepared to answer, Trump interjected: “That’s OK. You can just say yes. It’s easier than explaining it. I don’t mind.”
Mamdani said he told the President that voters in both their elections were motivated primarily by the cost of living. He said he had spoken to residents in The Bronx and Queens who had backed Trump. “They told me again and again it was cost of living, cost of living, cost of living,” he said.
According to Mamdani, the pair discussed challenges facing housing development in New York, including zoning rules and the city’s Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). He said developers often complained that “the thing more expensive than labor or materials is waiting.”
The mayor-elect stood by his proposals to raise taxes on millionaires and corporations to fund policies such as free child care, free buses, and affordable housing. These measures would require approval from the state government. However, he said he was open to other funding options. “More important than how we fund something is that we fund something,” he said, adding that he would “accept and celebrate” alternative revenue streams.
Mamdani also said he does not plan to increase the size of the New York Police Department, maintaining that the existing 35,000 officers are sufficient. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who has agreed to stay on under Mamdani’s administration, has previously supported expanding the force.