4 takeaways from the bizarrely chummy Trump-Mamdani meeting

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/21/politics/takeaways-zohran-mamdani-trump-oval-office-new-york

Among Trump’s comments:

“I think he’s going to surprise some conservative people, actually.”

“Some of his ideas really are the same ideas that I have.”

“We agree on a lot more than I would’ve thought.”

“I think this mayor can do some things that are going to be really great.”

When a reporter noted Trump had threatened to cut funding to New York City if Mamdani were elected, the president suggested that he’ll play that card if he needs to. But he also downplayed the possibility.

“I expect to be helping him, not hurting him,” Trump said.