Mamdani signals openness to discussing policy with Trump

By Jerry McConway, 
updated on November 12, 2025

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani came out firing at President Donald Trump after he won his election earlier this month.

Trump, as we would expect, responded in kind.

Now, Mamdani says he is open to discussing policy with the president, but something tells me that will never happen.

Came out firing

Mamdani challenged Trump as soon as the votes were counted, hitting all the key Democrat narratives in two or three sentences.

He stated, “Here we believe in standing up for those we love, whether you are an immigrant, a member of the trans community, one of the many Black women that Donald Trump has fired from a federal job, a single mom still waiting for the cost of groceries to go down, or anyone else with their back against the wall.”

He continued, “No more will New York be a city where you can traffic in Islamophobia and win an election.”

Mamdani’s plan will need substantial government funding to be successful, so that probably wasn't the best approach.

Trump responds

On Wednesday, Trump opened up a little more about his take on Mamdani, and it is not good for the incoming mayor of New York City.

Trump stated, "I'm the one who sort of has to approve a lot of things coming to him, so he's off to a bad start.”

The president later added, "He has to be a little bit respectful of Washington because if he's not, he doesn't have a chance of succeeding."

Mamdani has also seen resistance from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who seems hesitant to commit to several key aspects of Mamdani’s plan, including raising taxes and free public transportation.

We can chat

Mamdani is starting to realize he will need help from the federal government, so while he is still attacking, he has tempered it a bit.

He stated, “[If] President Trump wants to speak about lowering the cost of living or delivering cheaper groceries, like he ran on [in 2024], I’m there to have that conversation.”

Mamdani then stated, “I’m here to work for the benefit of everyone that calls the city home, and that wherever there is a possibility for working together toward that end, I’m ready, and if [the administration’s policies] are to the expense of those New Yorkers, I will fight.”

I would suspect that he will have a hard time getting through to the Oval Office. If he thinks Trump is going to help him succeed with his socialist agenda, he is a bit delusional. He declared war on Trump right out of the gate, and we all know how that works out for people.

About Jerry McConway

Jerry McConway is the Senior Editorial Director at American Digest Media, as well as the featured columnist on Real Talk Digest. He has been covering politics for more than a decade. His no-nonsense writing style makes him enemy number one in DC. His mission is to tell the truth to readers, good or bad, something the mainstream media has failed to do for decades. What sets Jerry apart from his competition is reader loyalty. They don't always agree with him, but they know he tells them the truth. Love him or hate him, you can't ignore him.

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