Politics Mamdani considers Trump a "fascist" - but relies on cooperation
After his first meeting with US President Donald Trump, the future mayor of New York, Zoran Mamdani, is sticking to his harsh judgments about the Republican. Trump remains a "fascist" and a danger to democracy, he said on the NBC program "Meet the Press". He did not want to conceal political differences, but had to put them aside for the good of New Yorkers in order to find solutions to the pressing cost crisis in the East Coast metropolis, said the left-wing Democrat.
23.11.2025, 21:18
SDA
Problems in the building system as a common denominator
The 34-year-old described the meeting as surprisingly productive: both loved the city and both had the same concerns of the citizens in mind - above all rising rents, expensive childcare and the high cost of living. "New Yorkers want policies that recognize the extent of the crisis and actually start working together to address it," said Mamdani. He had made it clear to Trump, who had called him a communist last week, that this also applied to many people who had voted for the Republican in the last presidential election.
Both also agreed that a "broken system" was preventing key reforms. This includes complicated and lengthy construction and approval procedures, which regularly slow down investors in residential construction and general urban development in New York - a topic that Trump is likely to be familiar with as a former real estate entrepreneur.
Focus on security and migration policy
In response to Trump's earlier threat to send federal forces to New York to fight crime, Mamdani said that he had made it clear that public safety was part of his social agenda and remained the responsibility of the city and therefore the New York Police Department. He also spoke about the "sanctuary city" rules - regulations under which New York only works closely with federal authorities on migration policy in serious criminal cases. Mamdani emphasized that the protection mechanisms for immigrants must remain in place.
At the White House reception on Friday, Trump and Mamdani shared a portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Cabinet Room. Mamdani drew a historical comparison: Fiorello La Guardia - for him the "greatest mayor" in New York City's history - had only led the metropolis out of the crisis with the support of the federal government. He envisioned a similar partnership today.
