New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani still describes President Donald Trump as a fascist, even after meeting with him in person at the White House.
Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, the New York City mayor was asked if he still considered Trump a threat to democracy. “Everything that I’ve said in the past I continue to believe,” Mamdani replied. “I think it is important in our politics that we don’t shy away from where we have disagreements.”
“We were not shy about the places of disagreement about the politics that has brought us to this moment and we also wanted to focus on what it could look like to deliver on,” Mamdani added.
Mamdani has drawn national attention for repeatedly calling Donald Trump a “fascist” and a “despot,” even after a surprisingly warm and productive Oval Office meeting. Mamdani has emphasized that his criticism is not rhetorical hyperbole but a sincere political assessment.
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In interviews following the meeting, he stated he “still believes everything” he has said about Trump and that his view of Trump as a threat to democratic norms has not changed.
During the White House meeting, Trump himself diffused tension by encouraging Mamdani to simply say “yes” when asked whether he still thought Trump was a fascist, saying he didn’t mind. Mamdani smiled and agreed, while maintaining that he could criticize the president’s ideology and still collaborate on issues like affordability, housing, and city-level reforms.
Despite their sharp ideological differences, both sides described the meeting as cordial.
Mamdani also addressed questions about his decision to retain police commissioner Jessica Tisch, initially hired by former mayor Eric Adams. “She has driven down crime across the five boroughs while starting to uproot corruption that was endemic in the top echelons of that department under Mayor Adams,” Mamdani said.
Kevin Hasset, director of the National Economic Council, which works with the treasury secretary to push forward Trump’s economic agenda, praised the move on Sunday and said the White House was pleased with it.
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“We are really reassured that [Mamdani has] kept the police commissioner. In previous administrations in New York, we have seen law and order really go south,” Hassett told host Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union.
The exchange between Mamdani and Trump at the White House reflects a complex but increasingly common dynamic in contemporary U.S. politics: the coexistence of sharp ideological disagreement and pragmatic cooperation. Mamdani has remained firm in his belief that Trump represents a threat to democratic norms, insisting that honesty about political differences is essential for a healthy democracy.
Yet his willingness to meet with the president, engage on policy, and focus on affordability and public safety shows a commitment to delivering tangible outcomes for New Yorkers.
Trump’s relaxed response to the “fascist” label and the cordial tone of their meeting suggest that both sides recognize the practical value of dialogue, even amid deep disagreement.