Washington, DC [US], November 22 (HBTV): President Donald Trump on Thursday took a light-hearted approach when New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani was asked whether he still believed Trump was a 'fascist', a term Mamdani had used during his campaign, CNN reported.
When a reporter questioned Mamdani about the remark, he began to respond, saying he had 'spoken about it', but Trump interrupted, telling him: 'That's okay. You can just say yes. It's easier than explaining it. I don't mind.'
Earlier in the day, Trump described his meeting with Mamdani at the Oval Office as 'great' and 'very productive', according to CNN. Trump, who hails from New York, congratulated Mamdani on his victory and said they found common ground on several issues, including housing development and rising food prices.
'We’ve just had a great meeting, a really good, very productive meeting. One thing in common, we want this city of ours that we love to do very well,' Trump said. 'And I congratulated him, and we talked about some things in very strong common, like housing and getting housing built, and food prices. The price of oil is coming way down.'
Trump added that he hoped Mamdani would succeed in office, saying his performance would matter more than party lines. He also suggested the mayor-elect might defy political expectations.
Standing beside the president, Mamdani agreed that the meeting had been productive, saying their discussion centred on the cost-of-living challenges troubling New Yorkers.
'I appreciated the meeting with the president, as he said, it was a productive meeting focused on a place of shared admiration and love, New York City,' Mamdani said. He noted that they spoke about rising rents, groceries and utility costs, issues that are pushing many residents out of the city.
'I appreciated the time with the president, I appreciated the conversation, and I look forward to working together to deliver that affordability for New Yorkers,' Mamdani added. (ANI)