Washington: The White House targeted New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, saying a “communist” is coming to the White House, a day before his planned meeting with US President Donald Trump on Friday.
Responding to questions about the meeting, the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked, “It speaks volumes that tomorrow we have a communist coming to the White House, because that’s who the Democrat party elected as the mayor of the largest city in the country,” referring to Mamdani, and said the president is “willing to meet with anyone and talk to anyone to try to do what’s right on behalf of the American people.”
Trump had announced the meeting in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, calling Mamdani the “Communist Mayor of New York City” and stating that the mayor-elect had requested the Oval Office meeting. “We have agreed that this meeting will take place at the Oval Office on Friday, November 21st.”
Mamdani also held a briefing in New York City on Thursday, telling reporters he intends to outline priorities for the city and seek areas of agreement with the president. “I’m not concerned about this meeting,” he said. “I view this meeting as an opportunity to make my case.”
The New York mayor-elect plans to raise issues including public safety, affordability and economic stability during the Oval Office discussion.
The meeting comes after months of confrontations during the New York mayoral election campaign. Trump repeatedly labelled Mamdani a “communist,” predicted economic and social decline under his leadership, and threatened to cut federal funding to New York City if Mamdani won.
In an unusual step, Trump endorsed Mamdani’s rival, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent. Mamdani defeated Cuomo by nearly nine percentage points in the November 4 election, becoming the first Democratic socialist elected mayor of the country’s largest city.
In his victory speech, Mamdani referenced Trump directly, telling him to “turn the volume up” on the television.
“So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us,” he said.
(IANS)
