Donald Trump has made several controversial and fluctuating remarks about Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City. He has previously called Mamdani a “communist,” “my little communist mayor,” and has floated allegations that Mamdani is “here illegally,” even suggesting at times that he could be arrested if he attempted to resist federal immigration enforcement policies. During the mayoral campaign, Trump went so far as to threaten to cut federal funding to New York City if Mamdani won.

In the aftermath of Mamdani’s election, however, Trump’s tone shifted somewhat. During a joint appearance at the White House, Trump congratulated Mamdani on his victory and expressed surprise at how much they agreed on certain issues, saying, “I expect to be helping him, not hurting him,” and described Mamdani as a “very rational person”. Trump also joked and seemed unfazed when reporters asked about Mamdani calling him a “fascist,” telling Mamdani it was easier to just say yes, rather than explain the remarks, and said he could see himself living in New York under Mamdani’s administration.

Despite the apparent softening in personal interactions, Trump has continued to use inflammatory language about Mamdani in other forums, such as threatening to “watch over him very carefully on behalf of the nation” and referring to him as a “Jew hater” without substantiating the claim. Overall, Trump’s statements about Mamdani have ranged widely from hostile and threatening to unexpectedly collaborative in public meetings.