Some of President Donald Trump’s allies are worrying that his kind words for Zohran Mamdani, the socialist mayor of New York City, are undercutting the party’s midterm election-focused message attacking “communism.”
“It certainly muddies the waters,” one longtime Trump campaign operative told the Washington Examiner after the president praised Mamdani during a Monday trip to Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence. “He needs to stop doing stuff like this. Everything is on the line in November. Maybe not for him, but for all the rest of us.”
Trump began developing a friendly relationship with the mayor following their first in-person meeting at the White House late last year. Sources close to the president have suggested that the pair developed a bond over their shared love of New York, and that, policies aside, the president was impressed with the insurgent campaign Mamdani pulled off over more established Democrats.
“The president is one of the savviest political operators in American history, and even if they don’t agree on every issue, I think he respects the fact that Mamdani, clearly, is a skilled politician,” one source explained. “That’s partially what makes him so dangerous. But at the same time, New Yorker to New Yorker, I believe the president believes he has a sort of responsibility to help steer Mamdani in the right direction, especially if he’s in charge of one of the greatest cities in America.”
Trump has joined Republicans in attacking Mamdani, who has received GOP blowback for his rent controls and city-run grocery stores, as a full-blown communist and frequently raises the specter of a socialist takeover. But the president has also shown an affinity for Mamdani, even as other Republicans attempt to use him as a boogeyman in campaign messaging.
On Monday, following their meeting, Trump expressed high hopes for Mamdani’s potential as a leader at a press conference.
“It sort of feels like a home, and it’s a special place, a very special, a beautiful place when you go inside,” the president said of Gracie, before layering compliments on Mamdani. “And I’ve seen it with numerous different mayors, and I said some great ones and some not so great ones. So hopefully you’re going to be a great one. I’ll be able to say you’re going to be a great one, and you’re off to a start.”
Trump and Mamdani told reporters that they discussed working together on a new housing opportunity in the city, which could bring 12,000 new homes and 30,000 jobs. The president also downplayed points of conflict, stopping short of castigating Mamdani in response to a question about the administration’s termination of temporary protected status for Haitians. Trump confirmed that Mamdani raised the issue behind closed doors.
“The mayor feels very strongly about it. I can tell you, and he did bring it up, but he feels very, very strongly about it,” the president told reporters. “I feel strongly about a lot of things. I feel strongly about taking care of people, and that’s what we do. We’re doing a good job of it.”
His meeting came as Republican operatives attempt to drive voters to the polls with a socialism-focused message. The Thank You For Your Attention To This Matter political action committee began running an ad on Monday targeting Nancy Lacore, the Democratic nominee in South Carolina’s 1st U.S. House district, as looking to “bring New York City socialism to our doorstep.” The ad features imagery of Lacore alongside Mamdani.
Several longtime GOP campaign officials, two of whom worked on Trump’s campaigns, say that Trump’s affection for Mamdani does make it slightly more difficult to “nationalize Democrats’ communist turn.”
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“Look, two things can be true. We can both admit that Mamdani’s radical policies are dangerous for the country, while recognizing that he is very charismatic and a skilled communicator,” one Trump political veteran told the Washington Examiner. “That’s obviously how President Trump feels. I think the tricky part is exposing just how damaging these policies are and showing that we need to pay attention to what Democrats are saying they’ll do if elected, and not just the fresh coat of paint they put on those promises.”
The White House declined to comment for this story.