When the 'fascist' met the 'jihadist': How the Trump-Mamdani meeting went down
When the 'fascist' met the 'jihadist': How the Trump-Mamdani meeting went down
When the 'fascist' met the 'jihadist': How the Trump-Mamdani meeting went down
The two leaders, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, appeared to have a lot more in common than expected
By Yasmine El-Sabawi in WashingtonPublished date: 21 November 2025 22:35 GMT
It was, perhaps, the warmest reception by Donald Trump yet for a political figure diametrically opposed to his policies. The US president has called New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani a "communist," a "jihadist", and a "Jew-hater".
Mamdani has called Trump a "despot" and a "fascist".
But at their highly anticipated meeting at the White House on Friday, Trump lavished unexpected praise on Mamdani after their first-ever face-to-face discussion, which lasted some 40 minutes.
"I'll be cheering for him," Trump told reporters gathered around his desk, where he sat with Mamdani standing to his right.