Yesterday the internet collectively malfunctioned for about three hours straight, and I was right there with it, refreshing clips like a conspiracy theorist waiting for the drop.
What actually happened in the Trump Mamdani Meeting Takeaways Oval Office between a twice-impeached Republican billionaire and New York’s incoming democratic socialist mayor was so unexpectedly warm that even the most cynical reporters looked like they needed a cigarette afterward.
Here are the four things that stuck with me.
1. Trump turned into Mamdani’s hype man (and meant it)
Forget the pre-meeting trash talk Trump Mamdani Meeting Takeaways from the GOP. Trump spent the entire time complimenting Mamdani like he was auditioning him for a Fox News contributor slot.
Direct quotes from the President:
- “I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”
- “Some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have.”
- “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him.”
When a reporter brought up Mamdani once calling Trump a fascist, Trump literally said: “That’s okay. You could just say yes. That’s easier.”
I’ve seen Trump destroy people for less. Instead he acted like a proud uncle watching his nephew win the talent show.
2. Mamdani refused to take the bait — and Trump loved it
Every single question was designed to spark a cage match. Every single time, Mamdani pivoted straight back to housing costs and groceries like a disciplined ninja.
Trump didn’t just tolerate it — he kept nodding along and defending the guy.
At one point Trump basically said: yeah deportations are my thing, but “he doesn’t want to see crime, and I don’t want to see crime,” as if they were just two dads agreeing their kids shouldn’t stay out past midnight.
Game recognizes game, even when the jerseys are different colors.
3. The entire Republican “Mamdani is communist jihadist” strategy just got bodied by their own guy
Remember Thursday when the White House called him a communist? When JD Vance pretended to have a stomach bug? When Rick Scott said Mamdani was getting “schooled”?
Yeah, none of that happened.
Trump explicitly rejected Elise Stefanik’s “jihadist” line item and said people say wild stuff during campaigns (pot calling the kettle, sir?).
The GOP spent months trying to make Mamdani the scary poster boy for everything wrong with Democrats. Trump just spent 20 minutes on camera saying “actually this guy’s pretty based on affordability.”
That sound you heard was a thousand MAGA strategists screaming into pillows.
Related (internal): I wrote about how Mamdani flipped the affordability script on Democrats back in June — How Zohran Mamdani turned “cost of living” into a leftist winning message
4. This might be the smartest political move either of them made all year
Think about it.
Mamdani gets presidential goodwill + clips of Trump praising him that he can run in every outer-borough ad forever.
Trump gets to look above the fray, steal the “working class” thunder from the left, and neuter the one Democrat who’s been beating him on the economy in polls Trump Mamdani Meeting Takeaways.
They both walked out stronger. Washington is supposed to be zero-sum. This felt like both sides somehow gained hit points.
I’m not saying they’re secretly besties texting Trump Mamdani Meeting Takeaways memes at 3 a.m. (though at this point I wouldn’t bet against it).
But for one bizarre afternoon in November 2025, the guy who tried to primary Bowman from the left and the guy who called for executing lawmakers on Truth Social found more common ground than anyone thought possible.
And honestly? In a country where eggs cost nine dollars, I’m not even mad.
