New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani didn't back down in an interview that aired Sunday from past criticism that President Donald Trump acted like a despot and a fascist after a surprisingly friendly White House meeting between the two men.

The mayor-elected reiterated his view that President Donald Trump is a "fascist," but said he appreciated the frankness of their Oval Office meeting.

"Trump feuding with Marjorie Taylor Greene but being in love with Zohran Mamdani was not on my November 2025 bingo card."

President Donald Trump had nothing but good things to say about NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani following a White House meeting on Nov. 21.

Mamdani, standing next to Trump, who was seated behind the Resolute Desk, said he "appreciated" his time speaking to the President. "It was a productive meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love of New York City and the need to deliver affordability to New Yorkers," Mamdani said.

The president offered rare compliments to the democratic socialist who won the Nov. 4 election, despite their contentious history over immigration policies and federal funding.

Mamdani, facing a city budget deficit, needs federal money and doesn't want Trump to send National Guard troops into New York City. Trump, reeling from bad polling on the economy, sought to co-opt some of the shine from the charismatic Mamdani's message on affordability.

The ‘communist’ decisively charmed the ‘fascist.’When New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald Trump met for the first time at the White House, all previous invectives were forgotten.