Title: Why Was President Trump So Friendly to Mayor-Elect Mamdani?
Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now we'll open the phones for a few minutes for your theories as to why President Trump was so friendly to Mayor-Elect Mamdani in their joint appearance on Friday. 212-433-WNYC. 433-9692. There are a few out there, but I think even much of the professional political commentariat is a little bit stumped by this. Why do you think Trump played so nice with Mamdani? We just heard some of why Hakeem Jeffries thinks it is. What about you? 212-433-WNYC. 433-9692. Call or text. Theories range from Mamdani simply impressed him with his poise and charm and straightforwardness, to Trump usually reacts well when people meet him in person rather than criticizing him from afar. Volodymyr Zelenskyy might have a different take on that, but that was Bill Maher's theory on his show over the weekend, "Just meet with Trump in person." Or maybe it was the Republican losses in the elections based on the cost of living, and that prompted Trump to want to look allied with the candidate who won on affordability, or related Trump and Mamdani shared some voters. We talked about that earlier.
I read that about 10% of the voters in the city voted for both Trump last year and Mamdani this year. Mamdani cited voters in the Fordham Road corridor and the Hillside Avenue corridor as places in the city with many such voters, and Trump wants to keep those voters feeling good enough about him. Maybe. Or maybe it's making yet another new narrative for the media to distract from the Epstein files. It's your theories as to why President Trump was so friendly to Mayor-Elect Mamdani in their joint appearance on Friday. 212-433-9692. You can call or you can text.
I'll say for myself, honestly, I don't know who the presumed constituency was for this. Doesn't seem to help Republicans make a case for the midterms, which was supposed to be partly on Socialist Mamdani pulling the whole Democratic Party to what Trump has called radical left lunatics. Right? Or maybe he's just setting himself up after Mamdani governs from the left to say, "See, I was so nice to the guy when he was elected, but he's governing like a socialist, communist," whatever, after all, and give that script new energy during the midterm campaigns. Maybe. I admit I don't have a good theory of my own.
How about you? It's your theories as to why President Trump was so friendly to Mayor-Elect Mamdani in their joint appearance on Friday. 212-433-WNYC. We'll take your calls and your texts on that right after this.
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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now to your calls and texts with your theories on why President Trump was so friendly to Mayor-Elect Mamdani in their joint appearance on Friday. Let's see. How about Marianne in Manhattan, who called first and is on Line 1? Hi, Marianne. You're on WNYC.
Marianne: Hi, good morning. I love your show. Thank you for taking my call.
Brian Lehrer: Thank you for making it. What's your theory?
Marianne: Thank you. My theory is that Mamdani is super smart and super savvy, and Trump is absolutely no match for him, and he knows. The only thing he could do would be extra special and extra nice because Mamdani, I think, would have come back with something and attacked him, and he wouldn't have bowed to him. I think that's my theory. Trump knows he met his match. That's pardoned.
Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. A text message says, "As New Yorkers, they speak the same language. Also, it has always been New Yorkers Trump has wanted to please." Don't tell Chuck Schumer that. Sarah in the Bronx, you're on WNYC. Hi, Sarah.
Sarah: Hey, Brian. Morning. Very quickly, I think that as a lot of us know, Trump likes to side with winners. He doesn't really care, in my opinion, about issues as much as he cares about looking good and appearing to be on the right side of history. Mamdani is a winner. That's given. I voted for him. I adore him, and I think that New York City is the best city in the country. Trump knew that he needed to be gracious and side with what he thinks is going to be a winning strategy. That's really all it is.
Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. Listener texts, "Simply, game recognizes game." Another text says, "I go with the idea that Trump was starstruck and he didn't have a Vance type to start the nasty." I guess like Vance did with Zelenskyy that day. "Trump is a wimp up close," writes that one listener. Bill in the Bronx, you're on WNYC. Hi, Bill.
Bill: Hi. Good morning. Thank you. Love the show. I'm listening to some of the comments, but I think, honestly, at the end of the day, look, Trump is a New Yorker who wants what's best for New York. I think in Zohran, he realizes-- As far as him being starstruck, I totally don't agree with that. I think he does recognize he's a young, articulate, bright man who can do something great for this city. I think he brings up the point, "Do we really want to kill another Amazon project where in 100,000 jobs, good-paying jobs, let's work together for what's best for New York." As much as-- I think he views him as a Don Trump Jr., as a young, bright person who I could work with for what's best for the city and the country.
Brian Lehrer: You mean A Don Trump Jr. as opposed to The Don Trump Jr. [chuckles]
Bill: [chuckles] Exactly. Absolutely.
Brian Lehrer: Bill, thank you very much. Another text, "I think the way Trump responded to Mamdani had something to do with Marjorie Taylor Greene. I think Trump wanted to come across as a good guy to muddy her narrative that he's a jerk." Daniel in Valley Stream, you're on WNYC. Hi, Daniel.
Daniel: Hello, Brian. Good to talk to you. My theory is very simple: that Trump's a sociopath who needs to be loved, and once he feels he has somebody's love or affection, then he screws them over.
Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. Adam in Queens, you're on WNYC. Hi, Adam.
Adam: Hi. I think Trump sees Mamdani as dangerous, and he's afraid of him. I think his reaction to the Park East Synagogue event, where he said in effect that even to help people go to Israel is a violation of international law, just bespoke an obsessive anti-Zionism and an obsessive character that Trump finds scary. Like all schoolyard bullies, when he sees scary, he retreats.
Brian Lehrer: That's interesting that you got the Mamdani reaction to the synagogue incident in there. I'm curious for you, Adam, taking what I think to be your politics on that, from what you said, did it assuage you at all that apparently Mamdani's people put out a clarification that he only considers a violation of international law to be recruiting people to go to the West Bank and live as opposed to Israel proper?
Adam: No, not at all. In fact, when Mamdani spoke, he was speaking his heart and had no reason to say anything at all on the subject, except people shouldn't be harassed trying to go into houses of worship. There was something in him that's on fire, that rages on this subject. He had to add what, in effect, is to say that Israel itself is a violation of international law. That people who settle it are colonists, or however he views it. I think he was saying what he really feels. Trump, who is pip-and-read, who says stuff as soon as it comes into his head, sees in him a kindred spirit of sorts.
Brian Lehrer: Adam, thank you very much. We really appreciate your call. One more. Julian Hastings, you're on WNYC. Hi, Julie.
Julian Hastings: Oh, hi, Brian. Thanks so much. I do agree with the points about him being a showman. The bully backs down when Mamdani calls him on it. It's a story, and I can't help but think of the word "populist." They're both populists. One is a tyrant, one is manifestly. The other, Mamdani manifestly, is not. They both are populists, which historically can go left or right, and populism, the resentment of voters against what they see as the vested interests of the elite.
Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. A couple of more on text messages to wrap this up. One listener writes, "I think Trump was offended by Cuomo's icy reaction to his endorsement. Purely an "FU" to Cuomo. One more listener writes, "He flattered Mamdani, flattered Trump's narcissism." Oh, and here's another one. Oh, actually, we have a few like this coming in. "Wouldn't be surprised if Trump wants to partner with Mamdani and build Trump affordable housing." All right, listeners, thank you for all your theories as to why Trump was so nice to Mamdani on Friday.
Obviously, it's just day one. We will see what happens with their relationship once Mamdani starts to govern after he's inaugurated on New Year's Day.
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