Donald Trump asked New York’s newly elected Mayor Zohran Mandani not to mince his words after a reported questioned him on whether he believes the President is a fascist, during their first White House meeting on November 21.In what seemed like an unlikely alliance, US President Trump and Mamdani walked out of the White House after their first face-to-face meeting stricking a surprisingly conciliatory tone. “We agreed a lot more than I would have thought,” Trump said at the Oval Office.
Trump even stepped in to shield Mamdani when reporters pushed him on earlier remarks. When one reporter asked Mamdani if he affirms that he thinks “President Trump is a fascist,” the Mayor initially tried to soften his response until Trump cut in and said, “that’s okay, you can just say yes.”
“It’s easier than explaining it… I don’t mind,” Trump added, tapping Mamdani on the arm with a smile.
Trump even stepped in to shield Mamdani when reporters pushed him on earlier remarks. When one reporter asked Mamdani if he affirms that he thinks “President Trump is a fascist,” the Mayor initially tried to soften his response until Trump cut in and said, “that’s okay, you can just say yes.”
“It’s easier than explaining it… I don’t mind,” Trump added, tapping Mamdani on the arm with a smile.
Q: Are you affirming that you think President Trump is a fascist?
MAMDANI: I’ve spoken about–TRUMP: That’s okay. You can just say yes. I don’t mind. pic.twitter.com/uWZFRcmGxB—Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 21, 2025
While the meeting had been expected to be tense after months of public sparring, Trump later described it as “productive” in a post on Truth Social.Read more: Trump and Mamdani go from adversaries to allies after White House meeting
He wrote, “It was a Great Honor meeting Zohran Mamdani, the new Mayor of New York City!” Trump has called Mamdani a “communist lunatic” in the past, but the two seemed to have struck a cordial note.
