President Donald Trump welcomed New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani to the White House on Friday for a meeting that marked a dramatic shift in tone between two previously hostile political figures.

In the Oval Office, Trump lauded Mamdani’s electoral victory and expressed eagerness to support his agenda, signalling a new phase of cooperation across partisan lines.

Despite Mamdani having labelled Trump a “despot” and Trump having dismissed Mamdani as a “communist” and threatened funding cuts, both men emphasised shared concerns and common ground.

The main themes discussed, they said, were housing affordability, utilities costs and public safety—issues both used during their campaigns.

“I expect to be helping him, not hurting him,” Trump told reporters.

Mamdani responded that he appreciated the meeting’s focus on shared purpose rather than past conflict, while steering attention back to his core platform: improving affordability for New Yorkers.

Notably, the two also jointly called on utility company Con Edison to lower rates, a rare instance of agreement across their ideological divide.

Trump said “we have to get Con Edison to start lowering the rates,” and Mamdani answered “absolutely.” Their alignment on such a tangible issue reinforced the narrative of a pragmatic turn in both men’s political calculus.

The political implications are significant.

Trump’s warm words undermined a central Republican attack line—portraying Mamdani as too radical to partner with—and allowed the president to reframe his own message around cost-of-living issues.

Meanwhile, Mamdani gained a form of validation on the national stage, potentially shielding him from threats of federal funding cuts and strengthening his position as mayor-elect.

Observers caution that despite the cordial moment, deep policy divisions remain—especially regarding immigration, taxation and foreign policy.

But the meeting succeeded in rewriting the script for at least the moment: political adversaries publicly affirmed they stand together for New York.

Trump declared he would even feel comfortable living in New York under Mamdani’s leadership, a striking contrast to earlier rhetoric.

Mamdani, in turn, remained measured, avoiding overt praise while emphasising action for New Yorkers over partisan spectacle.

Their handshake at the White House may mark the beginning of a cautious cooperation rather than a fleeting photo-op.